'Ecclesia in medio nationis': Reflections on the Study of Monasticism in the Central Middle Ages--Reflexions sur l'etude du monachisme au moyen age central, ed. Steven Vanderputten and Brigitte Meijns,
Scott G. Bruce
This is a relatively little book with big agenda. In late 2009, Steven Vanderputten and Brigitte Meijns convened small conference at the Catholic University of Leuven in Belgium to explore state current scholarship central medieval monasticism (c.900–1050) reflect particular on interaction religious communities outside world ‘as key paradigm which investigations into monastic phenomenon can be framed’ (p. 7). The result their industry short volume comprising seven papers (five French, two English) that succeed presenting ‘a multifaceted multidisciplinary outlook field study has become bewildering its complexity’ 9). Isabelle Rosé opens broad survey recent trends studies concerned internal organisation communities. Institutional memory, uses writing, notion ‘institutionality’ idea space take pride place her discussion, examples drawn from German, French North American scholarship. Unfortunately, does not address work sexual anxiety same-sex desire cloisters; brief evocation gender history ‘issues du mouvement Queer’ 24) raises topic without engaging issues concern scholars working these fields.
The English Historical Review