Call for papers on medieval torture

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Sometimes my e-mail is a touch surreal.
This one came in this morning, and knowing just how diverse the interests on this forum are, I thought I'd pass it on :rolleyes: :D
For the record my Archaeological interests are anthrobotany and traditional textile crafts and skills :)

cheers,
M

"HORTULUS CALL FOR PAPERS: WOUNDS, TORTURE, AND THE GROTESQUE


Hortulus: The Online Graduate Journal of Medieval Studies is a refereed, peer-reviewed, and born-digital journal devoted to the culture, literature, history, and society of the medieval past. Published semi-annually, the journal collects exceptional examples of work by graduate students on a number of themes, disciplines, subjects, and periods of medieval studies. We also welcome book reviews of monographs published or re-released in the past five years that are of interest to medievalists. For the spring issue we are highly interested in reviews of books which fall under the current special topic.


Our upcoming issue will be published in the spring of 2013, and concerns itself with the theme: wounds, torture, and the grotesque. These subjects have become increasingly popular in medieval scholarship. Ideas of the grotesque are being reconsidered in relation to concepts of race and racial theory, a discussion which has contemporary impacts far beyond the academic world. Concurrent to these developments in medieval studies has been an increase in scholarly attention paid to these subject areas in the field of medical humanities, which has further energized academic discussion of corporeality and the body. Such explorations include the analysis of suffering, personhood, and our responsibility to one another as human beings.


Hortulus invites full-length articles which consider these themes either individually or in tandem. We particularly encourage the submission of proposals that take a strongly theoretical and/or interdisciplinary approach, and that examine new and previously unconsidered aspects of these subjects. Possible topics may be drawn from any discipline: history, art history, archaeology, literature, linguistics, music, theology, etc. Work from every interpretive angle is encouraged – memory, gender, historiography, medievalism, consilience, etc. Most importantly, we seek engaging, original work that contributes to our collective understanding of the medieval era.


Contributions should be in English and roughly 6,000 – 12,000 words, including all documentation and citational apparatus; book reviews are typically between 500-1,000 words but cannot exceed 2,000. All notes must be endnotes, and a bibliography must be included; submission guidelines can be found on our website. Contributions may be submitted to hortulus@hortulus-journal.com and are dueFebruary 15, 2013. If you are interested in submitting a paper but feel you would need additional time, please send a query email and details about an expected time-scale for your submission. Queries about submissions or the journal more generally can also be sent to this address. "
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
Surely no more - or less - relevant than any other subject area? Possibly more interesting than discussions of sanitary arrangements, or childrens clothes!

Why is it surreal?
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
oh -- sanitary arrangements is a very interesting area of study

No you are just talking cr** ;)

Torture is intellectually fascinating surely - tricky to inflict as much pain as possible, for as long as possible, without killing. Grisly certainly....but no less requiring skill for that
 

galavanter

Member
Aug 1, 2011
32
0
southwestscotland
This may be of interest to medieval followers outside Glasgow near Denny there is a medieval fort called Duncarron something to do with the clan Ranold it has been built fairley recently bye a group of voulnteers a lot of the clan have taken part in films as extras in medieval battles Russel Crowe donated a battering ram to their cause they have web pages to look at its quite a size
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
I know the Clan Ranald folks; I've worked wardrobe for a couple of films they were involved with, as well as at events.
DunCarron's been a work in progress for a while now....slowly but surely, they're getting there :D

Thank you for bringing it to mind :) might pester a few contacts.


BR surely the best kind of torture is the kind that makes the person horribly aware of how bad things are going to get without actually inflicting physical abuse ?
Much more subtley cruel and effective.

cheers,
M
 

British Red

M.A.B (Mad About Bushcraft)
Dec 30, 2005
26,887
2,140
Mercia
BR surely the best kind of torture is the kind that makes the person horribly aware of how bad things are going to get without actually inflicting physical abuse ?
Much more subtley cruel and effective.

cheers,
M

I believe one of the most "effective" ways has been to torture then grant them a reprieve, apologise, give them a meal etc. Just as they relax they get snatched up and it starts again....there is certainly a pschological dimension to it...indeed that has to be most of it....not just whats happening ...but the fear of what will happen. Truly horrible...but I did find some of the exhibits at Warwick Castle....wierdly fascinating as well as horrifying....I suppose "extremes" are always interesting ....great heroism, great evil, the greatest heights, the lowest depths
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,410
1,698
Cumbria
So... Who finds BR and Toddy's comments on torture.worrying. They seem to know too much. Come clean. CIA? Some eastern former.sovuet state apparatchnik? Just who did you learn it from? ;-)
 

Rod Paradise

Full Member
Oct 16, 2008
725
1
55
Upper Nithsdale, Dumfriesshire
I believe one of the most "effective" ways has been to torture then grant them a reprieve, apologise, give them a meal etc. Just as they relax they get snatched up and it starts again....there is certainly a pschological dimension to it...indeed that has to be most of it....not just whats happening ...but the fear of what will happen. Truly horrible...but I did find some of the exhibits at Warwick Castle....wierdly fascinating as well as horrifying....I suppose "extremes" are always interesting ....great heroism, great evil, the greatest heights, the lowest depths

I like to think of myself as hard nosed - but seeing the medieval torture museum in Prague turned my stomach - so much creativity for so little real achievement, just sick people getting their jollies/making money/power. Thought I'd be fascinated but it was all too much tbh.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
Yes.

And that really was/is evil. Who needs devils and demons when humanity is inhumane :(
A clean death for those who could do such things to any living creature would be benevolent.

M
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
39,133
4,810
S. Lanarkshire
:D :D
Nah, HWMBLT is at peace with the world; mug of coffee beside him and up to his eyeballs in electronic bits and pieces :rolleyes: I'm kind of feart to go near incase I short circuit sommat or other :eek:

Crochet hook ?? really BR, I'm the founding member of Crewel Sharp Ladies.
*
*
*
*
*

.....That's a sewing group for those not in the know about needles :)

M
 

BCUK Shop

We have a a number of knives, T-Shirts and other items for sale.

SHOP HERE