The Mirror of the Medieval (Paperback)

Paperback. Since its invention by Renaissance humanists, the myth of the Middle Ages has held a uniquely important place in the Western historical imagination. Whether envisioned as an era of lost simplicity or a barbaric nightmare, the medieval past has always served as a mirror for modernity. This book gives an eye-opening account of the ways various political and intellectual projectsfrom nationalism to the discipline of anthropologyhave appropriated the Middle Ages for their own ends. Deploying an interdisciplinary toolkit, author K. Patrick Fazioli grounds his analysis in contemporary struggles over power and identity in the Eastern Alps, while also considering the broader implications for scholarly research and public memory. The Middle Ages have always held a uniquely important place in the Western imagination. This book gives an eye-opening account of the ways various political and intellectual projects have appropriated the medieval past for their own ends, grounded in an analysis of contemporary struggles over power and identity in the Eastern Alps. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability.…