Amy S. Kaufman and Paul B. Sturtevant examine the many ways in which the medieval past has been manipulated to promote discrimination, oppression, and murder. Tracing the fetish for “medieval times” behind toxic ideologies like nationalism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, and white supremacy, Kaufman and Sturtevant show us how the Middle Ages have been twisted for political purposes in every century that followed. The Devil's Historians casts aside the myth of an oppressive, patriarchal medieval monoculture and reveals a medieval world not often shown in popular culture: one that is diverse, thriving, courageous, compelling, and complex.

The Deviĺs historians how modern extremists abuse the medieval past

Devil's Historians: How Modern Extremihb

Kaufman, Amy S., 1974- author; Sturtevant, Paul B., author

Toronto ; Buffalo ; London: University of Toronto Press

Canada - English Language, Canada

Toronto ; Buffalo ; London, 1983

Obscured text on back cover due to sticker attached.

viii, 198 pages : 22 cm
"The Middle Ages are all around us, not just in history class, but in the world's most popular video games, in reenactments, at renaissance faires, and on HBO's Game of Thrones. But not all uses of the past are for innocent entertainment: Ku Klux Klan members still call themselves "knights" and "wizards"; neo-Nazis wear Viking symbols next to their swastikas; and white supremacist terrorists try to brand themselves as heroic "crusaders." This is not incidental. In fact, myths about the medieval world have been used for centuries to justify some of the most toxic ideologies and the worst human rights abuses in history. In this book, Amy S. Kaufman and Paul B. Sturtevant examine the long, dark history of "The Devil's Historians"--people who manipulate and use myths about the medieval past to promote discrimination, oppression, and murder. Tracing the fetish for "medieval times" behind toxic ideologies like nationalism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, and white supremacy from European imperialists right up to the present-day "alt-right," Kaufman and Sturtevant show us that the Middle Ages have been twisted for political purposes ever since they came to a close. The Devil's Historians also casts aside the myths of an oppressive, patriarchal medieval monoculture and reveals a medieval world you may not have learned in school: one that is diverse, thriving, courageous, and compelling, and far more complex than those who want to bring us back to the Middle Ages would have you believe."--
Includes bibliographical references and index
Introduction : weaponizing history -- The middle ages : foundational myths -- Nationalism and nostalgia -- The "clash of civilizations" -- White (supremacist) knights -- Knights in shining armor and damsels in distress -- Medievalism and religious extremism -- Epilogue : the future of the medieval past

"The Middle Ages are all around us, not just in history class, but in the world's most popular video games, in reenactments, at renaissance faires, and on HBO's Game of Thrones. But not all uses of the past are for innocent entertainment: Ku Klux Klan members still call themselves "knights" and "wizards"; neo-Nazis wear Viking symbols next to their swastikas; and white supremacist terrorists try to brand themselves as heroic "crusaders." This is not incidental. In fact, myths about the medieval world have been used for centuries to justify some of the most toxic ideologies and the worst human rights abuses in history. In this book, Amy S. Kaufman and Paul B. Sturtevant examine the long, dark history of "The Devil's Historians"--people who manipulate and use myths about the medieval past to promote discrimination, oppression, and murder. Tracing the fetish for "medieval times" behind toxic ideologies like nationalism, antisemitism, Islamophobia, misogyny, and white supremacy from European imperialists right up to the present-day "alt-right," Kaufman and Sturtevant show us that the Middle Ages have been twisted for political purposes ever since they came to a close. The Devil's Historians also casts aside the myths of an oppressive, patriarchal medieval monoculture and reveals a medieval world you may not have learned in school: one that is diverse, thriving, courageous, and compelling, and far more complex than those who want to bring us back to the Middle Ages would have you believe."-- Provided by publisher

The Devil's Historians Offers A Passionate Corrective To Common - And Very Dangerous - Myths About The Medieval World.

2023-10-09