Barbarians in Dungeons and Dragons' 5th edition blend two things: fascinating Viking history, and disgusting stereotypes of Native peoples. It should be changed.
Race, Racism, and the Middle Ages
In February, 2017, The Public Medievalist inaugurated a new special series of essays on one of the thorniest issues surrounding the Middle Ages today: Race, Racism, and the Middle Ages. Issues of race lie at the heart of our understanding of the medieval world; racists—even within the ranks of the academic medievalist community—have, for far too long, warped our understanding of the past. And considering the recent uptick of overt prejudice, hate crimes, and politically sanctioned racism in the US and Europe, this series seems particularly timely and necessary.
The series is currently ongoing.
The goal of this series is the same as the overarching goal of The Public Medievalist: present cutting-edge scholarship that explores these issues with depth, nuance, and complexity, and do it in as accessible a manner as possible. We hope that you find these essays thought-provoking, enjoyable, and useful.
If you know what to look for, you can find monuments to medieval hate in medieval churches and town squares across Europe. The question then is: what should be done with them?
Tolkien fan communities can be hostile places for Black fans. Just because Tolkien's work has white supremacy embedded in it does not mean that fans should embrace or replicate it.
The death of George Floyd on May 25, 2020 at the hands of a Minneapolis police officer has ignited a global groundswell of protests decrying systemic police brutality against Black Americans. The Black Lives Matter marches and rallies have forced a reevaluation regarding Confederate statues throughout the United States.
If we are going to root out anti-Semitism, we need to educate ourselves about where it comes from. Let's dig in.
White people don't have exclusive rights to the Middle Ages; African-American writers, thinkers, poets, and artists have been inspired by the medieval world for centuries.
Jeff Sessions' latest dog-whistle has roots in the medieval, and is yet another attempt to weaponize the Middle Ages for racist purposes. Part XLIII of Race, Racism and the Middle Ages, by Ken Mondschein.
The final scenes of The Last Jedi are straight out of a 14th-century medieval tale. But Rian Johnson has turned the medieval message on its head and thrown a gauntlet to alt-Right fascism. Asa Mittman explores. Part XLII of Race, Racism and the Middle Ages.
Swastikas were used in early medieval art. But that doesn't mean they should be worn by reenactors. Ken Mondschein explores in part XLI of our series Race, Racism and the Middle Ages.