Why the Middle Ages Matter

<p>The lessons of history cannot be reduced to some specious argument that knowledge of the past provides a privileged insight into the present. Nevertheless these essays show that a deep understanding of the otherness of the medieval past and of the myriad possibilities of belief thought and behavior of this distant and yet creative period can help us to understand both how the medieval past has shaped our present as well as how this same past offers models for thinking and acting differently. One need not agree with all of the authors represented in this volume either in their reading of the Middle Ages or in their recommendations for the present in order to applaud them for being what everyone should be: a thoughtful engaged and critical participant in the great adventure of life. These learned and committed essays challenge the notion that the deep past is somehow irrelevant to the present and compel contemporary society to recognize that the human condition is essentially historical and that dialogue with the past is a necessity to build a different and better future. Patrick J. Geary <em>Distinguished Professor of History UCLA</em></p> <p>The word medieval is often used in a negative way when talking about contemporary issues. <em>Why the Middle Ages Matter</em> refreshes our thinking about this historical era and our own by looking at some pressing concerns from today's world asking how these issues were really handled in the medieval period and showing why the past matters now. The contributors here cover topics such as torture marriage sexuality imprisonment refugees poverty work the status of women disability race political leadership and end of life care. They focus on a variety of regions from North Africa and the Middle East through Western and Central Europe to the British Isles. All the essays are written so as to be accessible to students and each is accompanied by a list of further readings.</p>