Rusanov A. V. Medievalism studies: How are the “Modern Middle Ages” Studied? [Digital resource] // Vox medii aevi. 2019. Vol. 2(5). P. 12–42. URL: https://voxmediiaevi.com/2019-2-rusanov
DOI: 10.24411/2587-6619-2019-00009
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Aleksandr Rusanov
Candidate of Sciences (History), Senior Researcher, Poletayev Institute for Theoretical and Historical Studies in the Humanities, Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Humanities, National Research University “Higher School of Economics” (Moscow)
https://www.hse.ru/org/persons/76949088
Medievalism Studies: How are the “Modern Middle Ages” Studied?
The article is dedicated to the investigations of medievalism, i. e. modern and contemporary uses of medieval images. It observes medievalism studies in the United Kingdom, the USA, Canada and Australia; Mittelalter-Rezeption in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, studies of neomedievalism in Italy. Since their emergence in 1970s, these studies remain an important research field of modern humanities and social sciences. The article also observes French and Russian investigation of similar subjects. It analyses specifics of their institutional history as well as their theoretical models, the evolution of their approaches and research areas. The article pays special attention to the problem of institutional borders between medievalism studies and other research fields of humanities and social sciences including medieval studies and cultural studies. Their relation with such interdisciplinary fields as postcolonial studies is also observed. Another relevant problem analysed is how connections between academic studies and other activities outside Academia are made in the medievalism studies. Thereby the article discuss the role of public history and critical theory for approaches of the medievalism studies.
Keywords: images of past; medievalism; Mittelalter-Rezeption; neomedievalism; neomedieval revival; reception of the Middle Ages.