A common rationale for keeping the term “Anglo-Saxon” in scholarly contexts is for public outreach. The idea is that the public is already aware of the term and they need it to anchor their understanding of the period.
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As I was reviewing video resources for Early English literature survey courses, I decided to watch for references to the “Anglo-Saxons” in documentaries.
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I selected a series by Michael Wood in the late 70s and early 80s: In Search of the Dark Ages. These episodes are excellent with a deep focus on individual figures such as Alfed and Offa that incorporates a summary of material and documentary evidence.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/In_Search_of_the_Dark_Ages …
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Michael Wood also recently weighed in on the controversy of the use of Anglo-Saxon.https://www.historyextra.com/period/anglo-saxon/professor-michael-wood-anglo-saxon-name-debate-is-term-racist/ …
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Given that these films date from around 40 years ago, I expected them to feature the term Anglo-Saxon prominently. It was of course widely used in scholarly contexts if you scan any bookshelf or database of scholarship on that period, as it is for many today.pic.twitter.com/PeQsXwRkHZ
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It seems reasonable to assume A-S would show up widely in documentaries produced in the late 70s and early 80s with the general public in mind as their primary audience. After all, I'm told this is a term that anchors public understanding, particularly in the UK.
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My assessment revealed something surprising. Use of the term Anglo-Saxon is sparse in these films. When referring Alfred the Great, Wood most often refers to the English or to specific kingdoms, such as Mercia or Wessex. Alfred maneuvers the English against the Vikings.
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The term Anglo-Saxon does appear. “In Search of Offa” references the “Anglo-Saxon Bede” or “Anglo-Saxon churches and crypts.” These references are descriptive but can we reasonably argue they are essential for public understanding?pic.twitter.com/DCmsuvtQI0
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“In search of William the Conqueror” most often references the English against the Normans in its account of the conquest. Stenton’s Anglo-Saxon England is referenced here as it continues to be today. There will be no bans. No one is scrubbing our bookshelves of A-S.pic.twitter.com/XMUc77kl4x
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My assessment is this. Michael Wood, a historian whose films inspired me and many others to pursue this field, did not place the term Anglo-Saxon in a central position in his documentary series on the Early English because he didn't need to. A-S is not the foundation of learning.
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Obviously, these films were produced well before the current debate took shape. My colleagues offer assessments on the scholarly history of the term and its context within documentary evidence. My focus in the public need the term as seen in A-S documentaries.
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Wood’s approach in his film series, an approach I use today, is to center the particulars and the specific: kingdoms like Mercia and Wessex, early tribes such as the Hwicce or Noxgaga. I heard those terms and wanted to learn more.
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The catch-all term Anglo-Saxon is convenient but I don’t see how it anchors public understanding. The public can easily follow the story of these well-crafted films in the episodes that use it and the ones that don’t.
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My evaluation is not comprehensive of every documentary series and I know some feature it more prominently, but does that advance a pedagogical goal? There is plenty of evidence the alt right is amplifying references to A-S as a signifier of whiteness.
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“In Search of the Dark Ages,” a series that in its title uses a term we have left behind for different reasons, remains an excellent resource I will continue to use. The film’s references to A-S are descriptive but not central and offer an opportunity to contextualize the term.
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Much as Wood does today, I take seriously the calls to examine the term A-S. Its international use in white supremacist circles has a wide reach into public life and contemporary politics.
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As scholars who engage with the public, we have an opportunity to distance ourselves from a tainted and misleading term in ways that deepen our understanding of Early England rather than obsucring it.
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End of conversation
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