#Kzoo2023 Report (and an eye toward #Kzoo2024)

𝔗he Tales after Tolkien Society continued its work at the online International Congress on Medieval Studies hosted by Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. For the 2023 iteration of the event, the Society sponsored and presented a paper session and conducted its annual general meeting. Notes about each appear below.

The Session

The Society's paper session, Religion along the Tolkienian Fantasy Tradition: New Medievalist Narratives, was organized by Society President Geoffrey B. Elliott and presided over by Society VP (USA) Luke Shelton; it was presented at 8am, UTC-6, on Friday, 12 May 2023. Papers were given by Society Secretary and Social Media Officer Rachel Sikorski and by the Society President. The session, per Congress materials, was set "to examine deployment of religious structures and ideologies in medievalist narratives derivative of or notably or avowedly influenced by Tolkien’s Legendarium (although excluding works by Tolkien himself). It is a commonplace that medieval life was permeated by specific religious structures; medievalist narratives across media might well make much of religious groups and ideologies, therefore. To what extent such is the case, and in what media and what bodies of work, indicates the extent to which popular understanding of the medieval accepts its own commonplaces, offering insight into how knowledge of the medieval works in the world."

The paper by Sikorski, "Do You Even Pray Though? Examining the Worship of the Great Mother Goddess in Tamora Pierce's Tortall Universe," was "A look at religion within Tamora Pierce’s Tortall Universe and how it relates to the Post-Tolkien fantasy tradition of worship versus the historical period this genre pulls from," per Congress materials. Plans to post the paper to the Society blog were noted.

The paper by Elliott, "Playing with Medieval(ist?) Religion in Forum-Based Play-by-Post Roleplaying Games: A Case Study," noted that "One way people begin to engage with the medieval most directly is roleplaying games, of which many overtly and explicitly engage in presenting ideas of the medieval. One such is Pendragon, and one iteration thereof appeared as an online event among reasonably representative gamers whose interpretations exemplify popular understandings," per Congress materials. Plans to post the paper to the Society blog were noted.

The Meeting

Per §5.1 of the Society Constitution, an Annual General Meeting of the Society was held during the 2023 Congress, taking place on a Zoom meeting and called to order at 3:02pm, UTC-6. The Society President presided, with the Society Secretary and Social Media Officer taking minutes. Present were the two officers aforementioned, as well as VP (USA) Luke Shelton and founding member Molly Brown

As had been noted previously, the agenda for the meeting was as follows:

1. Election for VP (At-large)
2. Election for Secretary
3. Selection of Sessions to Propose for the 2024 International Congress on Medieval Studies
• Alternative Medievalisms against the Tolkienian Tradition
• Off of the Printed Prose Page: Multimodal Medievalisms
• Tolkien and Twenty-First Century Challenges
• Continued Lessons from the Professor: Borrowings from Tolkien, 2020+
4. Other Business
• Coordination with Other Societies (e.g., ISSM, Lone Medievalist, the many Tolkien societies)
• Sessions at Other Conferences than the Congress
• Publications?

As to the first point, Molly Brown graciously agreed to resume her former position and was acclaimed as VP at-large.

As to the second point, incumbent Rachel Sikorski agreed to continue in her position and was acclaimed as Secretary.

As to the third point, discussion determined to propose all four sessions for the 2024 Congress. The first two, Alternative Medievalisms against the Tolkienian Tradition and Off of the Printed Prose Page: Multimodal Medievalisms, will be proposed as paper sessions. The remaining two, Tolkien and Twenty-First Century Challenges and Continued Lessons from the Professor: Borrowings from Tolkien, 2020+, will be proposed as roundtable discussions.

As to the fourth point, more overt efforts will be undertaken to coordinate with other learned societies. Vice-President Shelton agreed to note to Tolkien at Kalamazoo the sessions the Society will propose for the 2024 Congress, helping the reduce duplication of efforts and affording members of both groups additional presentation opportunities. Vice-President Shelton also noted online resources, both Robin Reid's Online Conference Project and those of the International Society for the Study of Medievalism (here), the latter of which is hosting an online conference likely to be of interest to Society members (here). Of particular note and emphasis is the Mythopoeic Society's "Fantasy Goes to Hell," contributions to which will close soon as of this writing.

Related to the last is an idea that the Society has considered before. In light of the panel offered, as well as of panels at past Congresses, the notion that the Society would compile a volume of essays treating the deployment of religion in medievalist works suggests itself strongly. Efforts will be made to formalize a proposal for such and transmit it appropriately through contacts known to the Society.

As the meeting was conducted via Zoom, it ended upon the software's time-limit at approximately 3:45pm, UTC-6, foreclosing further discussion.