Independent Women Scholars Write (Women’s) Medieval History

Abstract

Independent scholarly writing on the Middle Ages began as a dignified amateur endeavour in, and in a few instances before, the eighteenth century, although a bemused reading public has often marvelled at why anyone with a superior education and leisure would bother. For this reason, amateur scholars have often felt it necessary to justify their choice of a scholarly pursuit, and this continues down to our own day. Women scholars like Margaret Wade Labarge (1916-2009), whom we celebrate here, often had little choice but to pursue their scholarly interests independently because in her day academic positions were largely awarded to men. Labarge justified her career choice straightforwardly as based on a lifelong interest in the Middle Ages. Despite sporadic appointments as visiting scholar at Carleton University and the University of Ottawa, Margaret Wade Labarge spent her career primarily in research and writing, and she chose to view her status on the periphery of academic institutions positively since it left her free to study and write what she wished. She chose her scholarly projects herself, pursued them independently, and found publishers willing to place her work before the public: as a result, she enjoyed some commercial success and, with it, stature within her chosen field of study. There are many reasons to celebrate Margaret Wade Labarge and place her among the women scholars who pursued similar independent careers in medieval studies and, in doing so, designed medieval women’s history in ways that resonate to the present day.