Neomedievalism

In "Arte Italiana decorativa e industriale" Aemilia Ars was described by Camillo Boito as a national modern movement influenced by the Arts and Crafts model. This paper starts searching around the context and connections between 'fin de siècle' cultural tendencies in Bologna and Milan through Alfonso Rubbiani, the founder of Aemilia Ars, Camillo Boito and Luca Beltrami,  mainly for historical researches into restoration and neorenaissance studies.

Inspired by later medieval sagas and Viking Age historical sources, but underpinned and enriched by archaeological evidence and themes, the History channel's Vikings (2013-) is a unique drama series exploring the late eighth/early ninth century conflicts and culture of the Northmen, aimed at a global television audience. This chapter introduces the series and its varied portrayals of mortuary practice. From the portrayal of the deaths of chieftains and those slain in battle to family members and children, I identify key archaeological themes behind the depiction of death. This prompts discussion of mortuary archaeology's influence on popular perceptions of the Early Middle Ages, the programme operating as education, entertainment but also reflecting on present-day anxieties over the nature of human mortality.

In The Postmodern Condition Jean-Francois Lyotard defined postmodern as simply being "an incredulity toward metanarratives" (xxiv). This statement, made back in 1979 was refreshing as it purported a rejection of all the established grand-narratives of Western culture allowing for mankind to pursue various strands of life and thought without being shackled to any aspect of the past. Yet, regardless of this postmodernist desire to discard past constructs, it is ironic that we still find the past fascinating and are unable to completely break away from it. The medieval era, especially, is one of those 'traditional pasts' that we keep on returning to. The past is significant, as it defines who we are; thus, even though we may feel the desire to reject it, we may find it difficult to do so. As Terry Eagleton noted in After Theory "[i]t is the very fact that we cannot live in the present--that the present for us is always part of an unfinished project--which converts our lives from chronicles to narratives. [...] We cannot choose to live nonhistorically: history is quite as much our destiny as death" (209).

Postmodernism seems to have reached its limit as it is unable to contain this trend of returning to the medieval era which is beyond doubt a part of the grandnarrative. This shift from breaking bonds with the past back to restructuring these ties requires a new definition. Since this return has specifically been back to the Middle Ages, I believe Umberto Eco's assessment that the era we are now living in is 'neomedieval' provides a quintessential explanation. All this holds true for the case of Europe, yet what about America?

This essay will not only explore Eco's definition of neomedievalism, but will also extend it in order to understand the American attitude towards reimagining itself. The essential question that requires some kind of an answer is: why is America dreaming of the Middle Ages? Thus, this study will offer two Hollywood productions, A Knight's Tale and Timeline, as visual representations that illustrate the reasons behind what may be called American Neomedievalism.

King Arthur is one of the medieval myths that
shows more vitality in the contemporary age, and
therefore arthurian movies are shot every few years.
This is due to its adaptability to the needs and wishes
of every period, as the last film about the breton
king, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (2017), shows.
This movie renew the arthurian cinematographic
tradition through the adoption of characteristics
belonging to the phantastic genre. By doing so, it
connects to the recent trends in cinema, but also
it break with the historicism of one of its closest predecessor, Fuqua’s King Arthur (2004). However,
the Ritchie’s film is no entirely original. It is based to
a large extent on a well stablished tradition, both
literary and cinematographic, whose influences,
reinterpreted conveniently, reveal how the English
director understands the arthurian myth.

W niniejszym tekście postaram się zarysować eklektyczną, sieciową teorię nowego średniowiecza. Pokażę, że w trzech dziedzinach humanistyki, w (1) historiografii, (2) filozofii kultury i (3) teorii stosunków międzynarodowych, termin „neomediewalizm” służył już do określania globalnych zmian zachodzących w drugiej połowie XX wieku. Następnie dodam do tego własną refleksję (4) ekonomiczną, (5) socjologiczną i (6) filozoficzną oraz spróbuję pokazać, że neomediewalizm choć pozornie jest tylko wspólną etykietą dla różnych, często niezależnych od siebie prądów umysłowych, może stać się – po pewnej obróbce filozoficznej i (7) ekstrakcji wspólnych jakości – nowoczesnym pojęciem, korzystającym z tak różnych narzędzi opisu, jak analiza geopolityczna, socjologia sieci, teoria złożoności, badania statystyczne czy zaawansowana prognostyka.

Luiz Felipe Anchieta Guerra avançou por  uma seara distinta em Neomedievalismo político no Brasil contemporâneo. Como o título alude, este texto proporciona uma leitura sobre como o conturbado cenário político nacional se mostrou propício para a reapropriação de um ideárioneomedieval, que se faz  sentir em expressões, ideias e imagens

This volume examines the pervasive and persistent appropriations of the military orders across a broad chronology and several regions, including Mexico, Brazil, and Greece, areas beyond the traditional focus of prior research in medievalism.

Templars, Hospitallers, and Teutonic Knights, the military orders are among the most iconic aspects of the crusades and several still survive as chivalric honours or charitable organisations. In popular culture, the orders, particularly the Templars, have been the subject of or inspiration for films, books, television, and video games, from Star Wars to The Da Vinci Code and Assassin’s Creed. In this volume, an overview of the early legacies of the military orders in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries is followed by studies of the Templar conspiracy theories of Rosslyn Chapel, the Venerable Order of St John’s creation of a medieval past, the legacy of the Hospitallers in modern Greece, the military orders in nineteenth-century Mexico, and the use of the Knights Templar by the far-right in Bolsonaro’s Brazil. Ultimately, it expands the scope of the field and indicates further avenues for research.

The Modern Memory of the Military-religious Orders is a valuable resource for students and scholars of the crusades, the military orders, and medievalism.

Lien de ma chaîne YouTube :
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbVubs_4mYkf09LJUHcMLIA

Mémoire de recherche de Master. L'étude porte sur l'évolution de la représentation de la figure chevaleresque dans le jeu vidéo, avec une mise en comparaison avec d'autres médias audiovisuels. La période couverte va globalement des années 1980 à 2019.

ABSTRACT

“Modern Mercenaries in the Transition of Warfare. From Post- Westphalian
into Neo-Medieval.”

This thesis is a study of neo-medieval theory and presents it in the example of the mercenary profession. This work will show the ways in which neo-medievalism functions and how it presents itself in today's world. Neo-medievalism as a theory works around the idea of decreasing importance of the modern nation state, that in time is losing its position as the most important actor. At the same time it points out the increasing role of non-state actors. Mercenaries are a very good example that indicates the existence of neo-medievalism, their functioning and existence break states monopoly for usage of violence which is states’ most important attribute. Neo-medievalism places its focus on the system of multiple loyalties, which we can observe in today's world. It is here that neo-medievalism shows its resemblance to the medieval system that predates the nation state era. In the medieval times people had many, equal loyalties, after the treaties of Westphalia all of those were replaced by one, the main loyalty to the nation state. This work presents the history of mercenaries and the changes of their position and status due to the transition from different order, first from the medieval one to the post-Westphalian and later from the post-Westphalian to the neo-medieval. It also shows the increasing importance and role of mercenaries in recent decades that is connected to the weakening position of the nation state and their position.  This thesis helps to understand how the change of systems of norms and loyalties but also the process of construction of identity made the impact on perception of mercenaries, their role and place in society. Very important part is the process of adaptation that was made by mercenaries in order to become more acceptable by society and to fulfil society's expectations.
The first part of this work presents the research problem, research questions and hypotheses. Also this chapter includes the description of methodology which was used to conduct the research, expected results of this research and presentation of the existing literature of the subject.
The second part describes the theoretical models that create the background for this research. Three models are coherent with historic periods. Those three models are: medieval, which starts with the creation of the feudal society and ends with the beginning of the second one, after the end of Thirty Years War and signing the treaties of Westphalia. This started the post-Westphalian model which is dominated by the nations states. The third model, the neo-medieval one, exists in today's world and it is strongly connected to the weakening position of the nation's states. 
The third part is devoted to the presentation of the theoretical background. Here there are described all the theories that are needed for understanding the research problem and to answer all the research questions. Those theories are: privatisation of war and violence, the concept of New Wars, creation of nation, hybridization of war and the processes of construction of identity and loyalty. This last part is especially important since the idea of loyalty is very poorly described in the literature and at the same time is crucial for understanding neo-medievalism.
Part four focuses on the case study of this research, mercenaries. They are present throughout history, from ancient times until the contemporary world. Here we can find not only the history of mercenaries but also the presentation of their role and position in societies over the centuries, moral and legal norms that were created in order to place them under control and the perception of their profession.
The last part presents the conclusions and results of this research. Here we can find the process that led to the dusk of mercenaries and their later return. Also we can read about their role in societies and their position and actions during the transition between models. A very important part is the presentation of their role in the transition and attempts to adapt to the changing normative systems and social expectations. Those attempts very mostly failed to maintain their position against the rising importance of the nation's state and single loyalty system. In one of the chapters we can find an idea that presents mercenaries as ambiguous others,  people who are not fully a integrated  part of society but they are at the same time an important part of it and they are needed for its functioning. Despite their importance, they are still treated with limited trust. This category of “ambiguous” people was widely present in the medieval times and it looks like mercenaries are the last of this kind today.

In this article, I apply the concept of neomedievalism to contemporary Russia and argue that Vladimir Putin’s ideology cannot be accurately assessed without understanding its connection to a specific post-Soviet form of neomedievalism. The Eurasian ideology that calls for the return to “New Middle Ages” (‘Novoye srednevekov’e,’), promotes concepts such as “society of estates,” “caste society,” “slavery,” and “serfdom” among Russians. As part of a complex ideological process, post-Soviet neomedievalism seeks to offer a social alternative to democracy. My analysis will contribute to the ongoing discussion on the meaning of neomedivalism and demonstrate that neomedievalism implies a particular vision of society.

Depuis la fin des années 1980, le métissage postmoderne des cultures précipite l’effondrement du modèle moderne et national du domaine littéraire et de ses trois notions-piliers : l’essentialisme, le modernocentrisme, et l’arbitraire de ses frontières. Cette thèse participe à cet effort via l’exploration des transferts littéraires et culturels européens au Japon, dans les temps archaïques et à l’ère Heisei (1989-2019). Après un premier parcours à visée contextuelle, elle revisite les transferts archaïques afin de saper les fondations du modernocentrisme et de l’essentialisme. Une troisième étape consiste en l’étude de la littérature mangaesque japonaise et de son imaginaire néo-médiéval, notamment à travers deux titres phares : Vinland Saga et Spice & Wolf. Ce pan transculturel et transtextuel de la création littéraire contemporaine illustre à la fois l’extension des frontières de la littérature, et le réenchantement du monde dont la postmodernité se fait le vecteur.

Since the late 1980s, the postmodern blending of cultures precipitates the collapse of the modern and national model of the literary field and its three main characteristics: essentialism, modernocentrism, and the arbitrary of its boundaries. This thesis participates in this effort through the exploration of European literary and cultural transfers in Japan, in archaic times and in the Heisei era (1989-2019). After a first observation of our present context, it revisits the archaic transfers in order to undermine the foundations of modernocentrisme and essentialism. A third step consists of the study of Japanese mangaesque literature and its neomedieval imaginary; in particular, two key titles of this trend are analysed: Vinland Saga and Spice & Wolf. This transcultural and transtextual facet of contemporary literary creation illustrates both the extending of the boundaries of literature and the re-enchantment of the world, of which postmodernity is the vector.

This dissertation proposes a fantastical experience analogue to the historical experience proposed by Frank Ankersmit. It investigates how contemporary popular fantasy literature may provoke an experience of the fantastical within its readers, and serve to enrich the reader's experience of reality. After proposing this theory, this dissertation examines Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere as a case study. It concludes that the unique mixture of actual history with fictionalised and fantastical history serves to imaginatively transport its readers to a new realm.

Toward the end of the eighteenth century the finances of the Holy Apostolic and Metropolitan Church of Santiago de Compostela were seriously threatened when the Duke of Arcos brought a suit before the High Court of Castile against the validity of the ex-voto owed to Saint James for his decisive aid to a Christian army fighting the Moors in 844. The Voto, as was called, brought an additional tithe to that Church from all over the Spanish Empire and represented a staggering amount of money. The Compostela Chapter answered the Duke’s move by generating all kinds of supporting texts and, aware of the power of images, produced some in an effort to validate the spurious charter attributed to Ramiro I (842-850) instituting the Voto. This paper explores how they did it.

ABSTRACT

“Modern Mercenaries in the Transition of Warfare. From Post- Westphalian
into Neo-Medieval.”

This thesis is a study of neo-medieval theory and presents it in the example of the mercenary profession. This work will show the ways in which neo-medievalism functions and how it presents itself in today's world. Neo-medievalism as a theory works around the idea of decreasing importance of the modern nation state, that in time is losing its position as the most important actor. At the same time it points out the increasing role of non-state actors. Mercenaries are a very good example that indicates the existence of neo-medievalism, their functioning and existence break states monopoly for usage of violence which is states’ most important attribute. Neo-medievalism places its focus on the system of multiple loyalties, which we can observe in today's world. It is here that neo-medievalism shows its resemblance to the medieval system that predates the nation state era. In the medieval times people had many, equal loyalties, after the treaties of Westphalia all of those were replaced by one, the main loyalty to the nation state. This work presents the history of mercenaries and the changes of their position and status due to the transition from different order, first from the medieval one to the post-Westphalian and later from the post-Westphalian to the neo-medieval. It also shows the increasing importance and role of mercenaries in recent decades that is connected to the weakening position of the nation state and their position.  This thesis helps to understand how the change of systems of norms and loyalties but also the process of construction of identity made the impact on perception of mercenaries, their role and place in society. Very important part is the process of adaptation that was made by mercenaries in order to become more acceptable by society and to fulfil society's expectations.
The first part of this work presents the research problem, research questions and hypotheses. Also this chapter includes the description of methodology which was used to conduct the research, expected results of this research and presentation of the existing literature of the subject.
The second part describes the theoretical models that create the background for this research. Three models are coherent with historic periods. Those three models are: medieval, which starts with the creation of the feudal society and ends with the beginning of the second one, after the end of Thirty Years War and signing the treaties of Westphalia. This started the post-Westphalian model which is dominated by the nations states. The third model, the neo-medieval one, exists in today's world and it is strongly connected to the weakening position of the nation's states. 
The third part is devoted to the presentation of the theoretical background. Here there are described all the theories that are needed for understanding the research problem and to answer all the research questions. Those theories are: privatisation of war and violence, the concept of New Wars, creation of nation, hybridization of war and the processes of construction of identity and loyalty. This last part is especially important since the idea of loyalty is very poorly described in the literature and at the same time is crucial for understanding neo-medievalism.
Part four focuses on the case study of this research, mercenaries. They are present throughout history, from ancient times until the contemporary world. Here we can find not only the history of mercenaries but also the presentation of their role and position in societies over the centuries, moral and legal norms that were created in order to place them under control and the perception of their profession.
The last part presents the conclusions and results of this research. Here we can find the process that led to the dusk of mercenaries and their later return. Also we can read about their role in societies and their position and actions during the transition between models. A very important part is the presentation of their role in the transition and attempts to adapt to the changing normative systems and social expectations. Those attempts very mostly failed to maintain their position against the rising importance of the nation's state and single loyalty system. In one of the chapters, we can find an idea that presents mercenaries as ambiguous others,  people who are not fully a integrated  part of society but they are at the same time an important part of it and they are needed for its functioning. Despite their importance, they are still treated with limited trust. This category of “ambiguous” people was widely present in the medieval times and it looks like mercenaries are the last of this kind today.

Il testo, frutto dell’intervento tenuto su invito al British Museum nel 2016, passa in rassegna le principali architetture neogotiche della prima metà del XIX a Palermo proponendo una lettura originale in ragione delle questioni storico-politiche-istituzionali che a quell’epoca attraversavano la Sicilia e la corona dei Borbone, all’interno del gusto internazionale e dell’interesse mostrato dai viaggiatori del Grand Tour.
Prendendo le mosse dai “restauri” della Cattedrale di Palermo e dal progetto per il rivestimento in stile della cupola appena edificata, tra i primi esemplari neomedievalisti in Italia, si propone una lettura “politica” di tali manifestazioni che vedono da un lato la committenza dei Borbone, bisognosi di immagini che consolidassero la legittimità del proprio dominio sul Regnum Siciliae, dall’altro l’aristocrazia locale che guardava, all’opposto, al felice regno normanno-federiciano-aragonese, in continuità, come epoca di emancipazione dall’oppressione napoletana. Il risultato è una produzione di grande interesse cronologicamente al passo con gli esempi analoghi continentali.

The cities of the ever prevalent neomedieval fantasy roleplaying game are integral to their gameworlds. They act as quest hubs, goals, centres for action and places of safety. Much of the loop of the game revolves around leaving the city to complete quests, then returning to the city again, and repeat. In this paper, I take a closer look at the boundaries of the city. I begin by proposing a model to help define what a city's boundary is and how it is expressed to the player. Then, I look at how and why players cross those borders back and forth. Through this, I hope to facilitate a better understanding of how the city functions in roleplaying games, and how the ways in which it produces boundaries alters and affects how players interact with the gameworld.

As is already visible in its opening credits, the television series Disney’s Adventures of  the  Gummi  Bears  (1985–1991)  uses  neomedievalism  to  confirm  the  anthropo-morphism of the titular characters. More than 35 years after this series’ first epi-sode aired, this phenomenon is still easily traceable in the parent fan fiction, online stories about the Gummi Bears, written for children by adults. This paper address-es two seemingly overlooked fields: The Gummi Bears series and the fan fiction it inspired. It shows that this anthropomorphic perception adds new perspectives on human  relations  with  the  natural  environment  and  on  the  treatment  of  animals,  and thus contributes to building the awareness of ecological and animal rights in societies, especially when it comes to future generations

This article explores female agency and the healing role of women in medievalist fiction on Alfred the Great. Alfredian fanfiction written during the pandemic mixes neo-medieval elements with current themes and preoccupations, such as illness, pain, solitude, hope, female agency, and border crossings. The fan authors have constructed a 21st century "neo-medieval-based culture" that mirrors events in current society.

Madrid: Akal, 2019.  En contra de la mayoría de debates sobre la continuidad, superación o universalidad de la modernidad en la globalización, este libro propone, en lo que podría ser una inversión estratégica de La genealogía moral de Nietzsche, remplazar la modernidad con la Edad Media, como referencia histórica central e inevitable, para pensar nuestro presente global. Así, este ensayo esboza un análisis genealógico completo de la referencia a la que tantos autores recurren pero que ninguno elabora de forma sistemática: el hecho de que vivimos en una nueva Edad Media global.
El nuestro es un presente global que cada vez se define más claramente por dos procesos o eventos simultáneos que solo podemos pensar como eminentemente medievales. Por una parte, la polarización de clases sociales sigue aumentando de forma inusitada y sin precedentes históricos de similar escala. La misma está dando lugar a una oligarquía aristocrática que intenta subsumir al resto de la población en una nueva no-clase, cuya condición es la precariedad y para la que solo tenemos términos medievales como pueblo, vulgo, plebs, etc. (Baja Edad Media, XI-XV). Esta polarización social, a su vez, está dando lugar a formas políticas de populismo que cada día parecen más duraderas e históricas pero que la izquierda sigue desdeñando, con limitadas excepciones.
Por otra parte, y en contra de las denuncias iniciales de la Escuela de Frankfurt y sus seguidores sobre la homogeneización consumista generada por el capitalismo, se puede constatar hoy día una multiplicación irreducible de la diversidad social y cultural, desde el fundamentalismo religioso y étnico al tribalismo urbano y de Internet, que, a su vez, excede y deja ver los arcaicos y nuevos límites del capitalismo. Ello apunta a un paisaje post-multiculturalista de diversidad irreducible que hace imposible cualquier forma de política universalista (Alta Edad Media, V-X). De ahí que, en vez de “globalización”, en singular, o de “altermundismo”, demasiado simétrico a la globalización hegemónica a la que se contrapone, este ensayo caracterice nuestro presente como un momento medieval de globalizaciones múltiples que exceden el capitalismo y se contraponen a una nueva aristocracia incipiente desde su irreducible diferencialidad.
En otras palabras, este ensayo propone un análisis diferente que ofrezca una salida al pensamiento de la izquierda, tanto socialdemócrata como marxista, presa y víctima de los límites de una ontología y teleología modernas, que la avocan, irónicamente, a una proclamación muy medieval de la universalidad insuperable y cuasi-religiosa del capitalismo.
En vez de incitar al pánico moderno sobre el “final de las luces”, este ensayo, en su aproximación critico-teórica, se atreve a captar parte de la irreducible complejidad medieval de nuestro presente global: desde la nueva obesidad como signo de hambre de clases precarizadas a los efectos anticapitalistas de la sexualidad LGBT incluso en su giro conservador hacia el matrimonio burgués; desde las nuevas alegorías globales (Juego de tronos, El señor de los anillos, los reality shows, etc.) al estado de excepción global; desde la violencia postdemocrática de género y raza al antropoceno; desde la biopolítica y gubernamentalidad clásica a la tanatopolítica generalizada. En esta contra-genealogía nietzscheana, se intenta explorar nuestro paisaje medieval donde la moral del amo vuelve a querer imponerse frente a un “vulgo” diverso e irreducible que está abocado a una precariedad que se convierte en nueva forma de política y resistencia. Así, esta otra genealogía empieza en el presente y deconstruye históricamente la modernidad para llegar a un pasado medieval que también incluye al sujeto no-moderno-europeo y por tanto refleja nuestro presente. Desde este nuevo horizonte neomedieval, el libro explica la estructura, antagonismo, y lucha entre grupos, a través del postmarxismo y el psicoanálisis, y apunta a lo que se puede caracterizar como una nueva política post-laclauana global, cuyo eje es el deseo consumista y la sublimación populista.
Para terminar, este ensayo presenta un mapa contemporáneo medieval cuyo último horizonte es apocalíptico y “premoderno”. Así, el momento más medieval de nuestro presente se da en el trasfondo y, por eso, se discute al final del ensayo: el antropoceno, o era ecológica creada por la humanidad, la cual no parece tener salidas modernas tecnológicas o utópicas, solo medievales y apocalípticas: desastre, ruina, plaga, etc. Por lo cual, el ensayo también presenta, al final, una salida medieval a dicho horizonte ecológico de apocalipsis.

Premio Unamuno 2015. Originalmente publicado en euskara.

Abstract: The present study proposes a translation of the Vikingen poem by Erik Gustav Geijer from Swedish into Portuguese. We also inserted an initial contextualization of the author and the poem, followed by a brief analysis of the literary source, especially from a diachronic and synchronic point of view (listing the main stereotypes related to the Viking theme), establishing some elements of the Swedish nationalism of the period.
Resumo: O presente estudo propõe uma tradução do poema Vikingen de Erik Gustav Geijer do sueco para o português. Inserimos também uma contextualização inicial do autor e do poema, seguida de uma análise breve da fonte literária, especialmente de um ponto de vista diacrônico (elencando os principais estereótipos relacionados com a temática do Viking) e sincrônico, estabelecendo alguns elementos do nacionalismo sueco do período. Palavras-chave: Viking; Escandinávia Medieval; Recepção literária; Romantismo e Nacionalismo.

For a complete performance recording see: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OD5QZEVXGCY

A work for thee unaccompanied voices  - male or female - that are low, medium, and high. Work premiered by Quince Ensemble in March, 2022.

Text for the work was adapted by Jordan Alexander Key from the First Criminal Trial of Oscar Wilde (April 26 to May 1, 1895), from the April 29 testimony of Oscar Wilde, cross-examined by prosecution attorney Charles Gill.

To the memory of Oscar Wilde:
May we never forget the atrocities we have committed upon one another
in the name of false prophets, senseless religions, and twisted moralities, lest we return to the wickedness of our past. - Jordan Alexander Key

Since the past few decades, the European Middle Ages have started to become a recurrent motif in Japan. Either depicted in historical works, appearing in a roundabout way, or even implied through archetypal backgrounds and characters in Medieval Fantasy, it has become a source of inspiration for Japanese authors and screenwriters, even taking a firm root in the video game industry—Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy series acting as relevant touchstones. Regarding the field of Literature at large, countless manga are based upon its settings (Berserk, Akagami no Shirayukihime), as well as several light novels (Slayers, The Record of Lodoss War) and “pure” literary works—among them, the Akutagawa Prize’s winner in 1998, L'Éclipse by Hirano Keiichirō. Besides offering the elation of exotic stories and re-enchanting our world, this foreign exploration of The Middle Ages creates a new approach of its realities and myths, sometimes reorganizing them to the point of syncretism with Japanese values. Thus, from folktales to civilizations features, those transcultural medieval elements affect the perception of Europe in contemporary Japan. In this article, in order to highlight the interaction between this part of the European culture and Japanese literature, I study three examples of literary works representing the European Middle Ages: the historical manga Vinland Saga (Yukimura Makoto), set during the Vikings Era and using the literary features of the Icelandic sagas; the light novel Spice & Wolf (Hasekura Isuna), a unique tale depicting the medieval merchant world; and the novel L'Éclipse (Hirano Keiichirō), portraying a young Dominican in the fifteenth century thrown into the world of alchemy and metaphysics. I argue that they are not only transcultural works, but that they also offer new perspectives on understanding how European realities and myths are being adapted in Japan.

There are generally understood to be two types of neomedievalism. One is the
International Relations (IR) school that stems from the 1970s work of Hedley
Bull. It centers around the idea that nation-states are weakening in the face of
non-state actors (NGOs, multinationals, supra-national entities such as the
European Union, global networks, private armies, terrorist organizations and so
on), and that the global order is entering a medieval-type scenario of layered
political allegiances: one in which the nation-state ceases to hold privileged
sovereign power. The second type derives from the work of Umberto Eco, who
(also in the 1970s) put forward the notion that we are living in cultural and
political new Middle Ages, citing the end of the ‘Pax Americana’ (Eco, 1986, 76)
as an analog to the fall of the Roman empire. Neomedievalism for Eco is a
postmodern predicament by which the contemporary can be understood as a reenactment of the medieval, spanning a spectrum from the historically accurate
and philologically responsible to pop kitsch fantasy medievalism. Over the last
decade, neomedievalist studies have found fortune in the realm of pop culture, in
particular examining online videogames set in pseudo-medieval fantasy worlds,
often by way of Baudrillardian theories of the simulacrum.

Il volume affronta ad ampio raggio il tema del revival gotico a Palermo, dall’architettura alle arti decorative nel XIX secolo, comprendendo i primi trent’anni del Novecento, e puntando a coglierne in particolar modo gli aspetti di gusto, legati alla committenza e al contesto sociale e culturale della realtà siciliana.
Nel testo sono avanzate alcune ipotesi relativamente alle ragioni della committenza, suddividendo i primi due capitoli tra fase preunitaria e postunitaria. Nella prima fase la diffusione di restauri e nuove edificazioni è spiegata con la propaganda dei sovrani per sostenere la corona e, contemporaneamente, in ragione dei sommovimenti autonomisti di opposta natura, per il periodo successivo all’unificazione si rimanda alle dinamiche connesse con la costruzione di un’identità siciliana all’interno della compagine nazionale. Contestualmente sono posti in evidenza i nuovi scenari sociali ed economici che vedono una rapida fluidificazione tra la classe aristocratica post feudale e borghesia industriale e le modalità di reazione della prima per affermare il valore della storia legato al proprio nome, o dello stesso connesso alla storia fondativa del Regnum Siciliae.
La ragione politica per giustificare la gran quantità di episodi architettonici nella ex capitale del regno nella prima metà del secolo si accompagna ad una lettura sociale che comprende anche la famiglia Florio, centrale per l’economia cittadina del XIX secolo. Ci si sofferma sul confronto tra alcuni episodi topici (come Palazzo Forcella-Baucina e villa Pietratagliata), singolarmente approfonditi, senza perdere di vista, però, il panorama generale nazionale e internazionale che accompagna e verisimilmente nutre le istanze alla base di quei cantieri.
Si aggiunge un’ulteriore inedita ipotesi per interpretare la vastità dello specifico fenomeno siciliano in favore della delineazione di un’identità comune, ovvero il Vespro siciliano e le celebrazioni per il sesto centenario del 1882. Il Vespro, infatti, dalla sua ricostruzione storica ad opera di Michele Amari, permane come costante ideologica sia nella prima che nella seconda metà del secolo.
La serrata contestualizzazione nazionale e internazionale delle opere proposte all’attenzione del lettore, accompagna anche una singolare figura di intellettuale, conoscitore, collezionista e produttore di mobili, Andrea Onufrio, i cui arredi in “stile neonormanno”, caratterizzati dai ricchi inserti in osso, si distinguono nel panorama nazionale e, in effetti, sono la sintesi dei dibattiti storici, economici e di gusto certamente non solo siciliani, ma profondamente connessi al territorio e al tema del Regno di Sicilia e alle celebrazioni per l’anniversario del Vespro. L’interessante materiale documentario, per la maggior parte inedito, reperito nel fondo della Biblioteca Comunale di Palermo, viene ordinato e collegato alle opere note, rivelandone altre, ancora non conosciute, ritrovando all’interno del mercato nazionale ed internazionale manufatti che si ritenevano perduti e attribuendo opere inedite all’abile mano dell’ebanista palermitano. La ricerca d’archivio, su fondi pubblici e privati, offre una grande quantità di novità e spunti che non sono mai fini a se stessi, ma arricchiscono e sostanziano i ragionamenti sulla documentazione già conosciuta, consentendo di aggiungere un importante tassello al panorama degli studi trattato.

Visit www.neomedievalism.net to download the anthology "Cities in the Neomedieval Era" that is a follow up of this essay ---- I am pointing out that in three areas of humanities – historiography, philosophy of culture and international relations the term “neomedievalism” has already been used to describe global changes taking place in the latter half of the XXth century. Adding my own reflection on social sciences, economy and philosophy to finally extract the common qualities I try to point out that neomedievalism – in spite of being a common etiquette for many unrelated ideas – may become (after some philosophical treatment) an up to date and useful concept that utilizes a variety of tools, such as geopolitical analysis, network theory, complexity theory, statistical research.
Visit www.neomedievalism.net to download the anthology "Cities in the Neomedieval Era" that is a follow up of this essay. The said anthology is also downloadable from my academia.edu profile.