Why the Middle Ages Matter

Medieval historians sometimes feel as though they are working in a field remote from the interests of modern historians and social scientists, even though the middle ages is a source of fascination to the wider reading and viewing public. The present book gathers essays on various modern ‘injustices’ (broadly defined), and each author attempts to show what medieval conditions, attitudes, and experiences can contribute to debate on the modern issue. The political slant is vaguely left-liberal and the subject-matter largely relates to social issues. Since most of the contributors are American or teach in US universities, the modernity with which they engage is fairly culturally specific. Historiographically, the editors situate their efforts within an ‘ethical turn’ which they associate with the great left-wing historian of modern America, Howard Zinn, who achieved enormous popularity by turns because, and in spite of, his angry fist-shaking at US capitalism. Historically, they situate the book within a post-9/11 cultural moment, when America finds itself having to engage with cultures radically different from its own. This positioning is telling. There is almost nothing in this book on economic inequality, which one might think pertinent to most injustices throughout history, and which one might assume was in the minds of historians at present

Aesthetics · Ancient history · Capitalism · Epistemology · Injustice · Middle Ages · Middle class · Modernity · Nothing · Political science · Politics · Popularity · Sociology · Subject (documents · American Constitutional Law and Politics · History · Law · Philosophy