Project Title: Imperial Medievalisms: The mythology of “The Medieval” from the 19th century to the present day
Project Description: My project will examine the development of medievalisms, and how contemporary imaginings of the medieval are affected less by medieval history, and more by a mythologized past constructed primarily in Britain the nineteenth century. This “medieval” past was constructed as a justification for the imperialist ideals of the time, and has since fed into both the aesthetics of “the medieval” in modern popular culture, and the rhetoric of modern white supremacist groups. I am especially interested in how aesthetic movements of the late nineteenth century aided in the creation of this mythology.
Most Important Accomplishment: Has yet to be determined.
Reflections on the College Scholar Program: The College Scholar program was a major motivation for me in applying to Cornell, and I’m so excited to be able to examine my interests without having to fit them into the confines of a major! Research has always been my favorite aspect of all my academic work, and being allowed to devote major time to that over the course of a longer period than a semester is extremely exciting to me.