Demons, Sorrow, Charity

Medieval Religious Communities, Lay Brothers and Sisters, & Mental Illness

Presented by Carol Neel, professor and chair of history, Colorado College

Program
6--6:30 p.m. Arrival & Refreshments
6:30-7:30 p.m. Lecture by Prof. Carol Neel
7:30-8 p.m. Q&A

Medieval people had complex and flexible ways of talking about mental illness and other distressing psychic states, as we can see from their manuscripts. I will explore how medieval communities – especially monastic houses – responded to members and friends whose behaviors and social relations were disturbed. This will shed light on historical notions of community but will also challenge our modern ways of thinking about madness and melancholy in mainly medical terms.

Kendra Bruning

Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies

480-965-8097

Kendra.Bruning@asu.edu

http://acmrs.org/news/event