MARS Statement in Support of Diversity and Social Justice

The Centre for Medieval and Renaissance Studies welcomes all who are interested in studying and teaching the medieval and early modern worlds.  We echo the Renaissance Society of America’s statement in support of “equality, social justice, and fairness for the Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous communities who are most adversely affected by white supremacism, as so starkly revealed during the COVID-19 pandemic.” We stand in solidarity with those who fight against institutional racism in Canadian society and in other societies around the globe. We invite students to learn about the complexity of medieval and early modern attitudes towards racial, ethnic, religious, and gender differences, and about the vibrant forms of cultural exchange and hybridity of the premodern age, which offer historical perspective on our own time. In the following web resources, we encourage you to explore and learn about current discussions and perspectives that promote diversity and social justice in medieval and early modern studies.