Fake News: A Medieval Phenomenon (A Roundtable)
Sponsoring Organization(s)
Goliardic Society, Western Michigan Univ.
Organizer Name
Jillian Patch
Organizer Affiliation
Western Michigan Univ.
Presider Name
Jillian Patch
Paper Title 1
Supernatural Sensations: Broadsides, Ballads, and News of the Uncanny in Early Modern England
Presenter 1 Name
Thea Tomaini
Presenter 1 Affiliation
Univ. of Southern California
Paper Title 2
From Muslim to Christian Hero
Presenter 2 Name
Christine Pruden
Presenter 2 Affiliation
Western Michigan Univ.
Paper Title 3
The Fake News of Folk Histories: Some Histories Lie, Others Spread Fake News
Presenter 3 Name
Thomas Leek
Presenter 3 Affiliation
Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point
Start Date
10-5-2018 10:00 AM
Session Location
Schneider 1345
Description
To quote Michael Moore, ‘we are living in fictitious times’, however, this is not a fatality. As students of the medieval past, it is our duty to transmit to our undergraduate students not only historical content but also the critical tools that will enable them to decipher the signal from the noise both in their area of study and as responsible citizens. The idea of fake news is not a new phenomenon though it would appear that way with the explosion of Twitter and Facebook at the beginning of this century. However, medievalists and other scholars within the humanities are not often shocked by the idea of fake news since false legal documents, forged paintings, and anonymous authors are realities of our everyday study. This panel will explore how medieval studies and the skill sets of critical thinking and analysis which it develops in students is applicable in this age of false news. In a world when separating fact from fiction is the job of every citizen and not just an elite few, it has never been more important that medieval studies makes itself and its history known. Jillian Patch
Fake News: A Medieval Phenomenon (A Roundtable)
Schneider 1345
To quote Michael Moore, ‘we are living in fictitious times’, however, this is not a fatality. As students of the medieval past, it is our duty to transmit to our undergraduate students not only historical content but also the critical tools that will enable them to decipher the signal from the noise both in their area of study and as responsible citizens. The idea of fake news is not a new phenomenon though it would appear that way with the explosion of Twitter and Facebook at the beginning of this century. However, medievalists and other scholars within the humanities are not often shocked by the idea of fake news since false legal documents, forged paintings, and anonymous authors are realities of our everyday study. This panel will explore how medieval studies and the skill sets of critical thinking and analysis which it develops in students is applicable in this age of false news. In a world when separating fact from fiction is the job of every citizen and not just an elite few, it has never been more important that medieval studies makes itself and its history known. Jillian Patch