Welcome to the first in a series of special Saga Briefs on Interpreting the Past, a series that looks at modern interpretations and perceptions of the medieval. In this episode, John and Andy welcome two scholars, Dr. Verena Höfig (Assistant Professor in the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) and Zachary Melton (Ph.D. student at the University of Iceland).
We cover a range of topics, including the appeal of Viking Age culture and mythology to modern religious and political movements; the role of literature, history, and social media in the construction of individual and group identities; and the challenges that we face, both as scholars and as citizens of this world, coming to terms with the many differences of interpretation that divide us.
As that list suggests, this isn't the usual light stroll through the sagas. This episode is short on jokes and heavy on substantive discussion of important issues. Whether you're an expert or an enthusiast, this one's worth your time. We hope you enjoy and we look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Here is a bibliography of the texts and studies referred to, either directly or indirectly, in this episode:
American Heathens: The Politics of Identity in a Pagan Religious Movement by Jennifer Snook
“Ethnicity as Cognition” by Rogers Brubaker, Mara Loveman, and Peter Stamatov
Gods of the Blood: The Pagan Revival and White Separatism by Mattias Gardell
Huginn’s Heathen Hof and Declaration 127
Karl Seigfried on Ásatrú, Anti-Racism, and Rescuing the Past – quote taken from “What To Do When Racists Try To Hijack Your Religion” in The Atlantic
Strangers in Their Own Land: Anger and Mourning on the American Right by Arlie Russell Hochschild
“William Cullen Bryant’s American Antiquities: Medievalism, Miscegenation and Race in The Prairies” by Andrew Galloway
Music Credits
Opening song – Icelandic Folk Music: Tröllaslagur
Outro – Ólafur Liljurós
Episode 19a - The Saga of the People of Reykjadal and Killer-Skuta (Part 1)
Episode 18c - The Saga of Finnbogi the Strong (Judgments)
Episode 18b - The Saga of Finnbogi the Strong (Part 2)
Saga Brief 5: The Story of Rollo the Viking
Episode 18a - The Saga of Finnbogi the Strong (Part 1)
Episode 17b - The Saga of the Greenlanders (Judgments)
Saga Brief 4: The Vinland Sagas (Interview with Loretta Decker)
Episode 17a - The Saga of the Greenlanders
Episode 16e - Grettir's Saga (Judgments)
Episode 16d - Grettir's Saga (Part 4)
Episode 16c - Grettir's Saga (Part 3)
Episode 16b - Grettir's Saga (Part 2)
Episode 15b - The First Quarter Court Results
Episode 16a - Grettir's Saga (Part 1)
Episode 15 - The First Quarter Court
Episode 14c - The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal (Judgments)
Episode 14b - The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal (Part 2)
Episode 14a - The Saga of the People of Vatnsdal (Part 1)
Episode 13b - Viglund's Saga (Judgments)
Episode 13a - Viglund's Saga
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