Naming matters : 'Anglo-Saxon' from Hengist and Horsa to Charlotte the WASP Princess.

Abstract

In 2019, medievalist and scholar, Mary Rambaran-Olm, delivered a very public resignation from her position as second vice president of The International Society of Anglo-Saxonist due to the society’s refusal to change its name. This triggered a larger conversation about the use of the term “Anglo-Saxon.” Not only has “Anglo-Saxon” been used incorrectly, but recently it has been adopted by white supremacists that have incited violence and racism behind their use of the term. This thesis examines the origins of “Anglo-Saxon” up until the 20th century through the term W.A.S.P. (White, Anglo-Saxon, Protestant) as well as the origins of Anglo-Saxon studies within the English Curriculum. I also discuss the controversy surrounding the name change in 2019 which leads me to discussing why naming matters with a term like “Anglo-Saxon,” specifically in a field that has a history of being alienating towards Black and POC scholars.