
Teaching Medieval Studies in Difficult Times IMC 2026
Call for Papers, deadline – 24 August 2025
Many medieval scholars are familiar with the need to convince our students that medieval studies is worthwhile, and can be fun. Even if we are successful, we may still find ourselves coming up against increasing degrees of friction, often from different areas like institutions, students, and at a national level. What can we as medievalists do to maintain the importance of our field through pedagogy, reinforce its importance to the modern world, and engage students in topics they might find challenging or unfamiliar?
Papers might address, but are not limited to the following topics:
- Incorporating marginalised and intersectional voices into the medieval studies classroom
- Teaching medievalism, with its positive and negative valences
- Non-traditional assessments, such as unessays, creative assignments
- Creative in-class assignments and tasks e.g. Reacting to the Past, Collaborative Close Reading
- Teaching compulsory medieval courses to mixed groups of students from a variety of home disciplines
- Using technology to teach Medieval Studies
- Using AI in the Medieval Studies classroom
- Tackling source materials in a variety of languages
- Supporting students with diverse needs e.g. universal design
Please submit a title, an abstract of no more than 250 words and a brief personal bio to Alex Lee (al6598@nyu.edu) by 24 August 2025. Please just drop me an email if you have any questions.
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