Find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Summer Term (May 1 – July 30) and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses will be on hand to explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer questions from the live audience. The Summer 2023 Courses: Please note: Unfortunately, following the recording of this Signum Symposia event, we have decided to postpone "Literary Copernicus: The Cosmic Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft" until the Fall 2023 semester. "Tolkien Illustrated," "The Inklings and King Arthur," and "Introduction to Old Norse" are still open for registration. Thank you. Tolkien Illustrated: Picturing the Legendarium – This course provides a comprehensive introduction to the history of Tolkien illustration and its visual, contextual, and critical analyses. Literary Copernicus: The Cosmic Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft – This course explores the work of H.P. Lovecraft and his impact on literature and popular culture. Students will study the foundations of Lovecraft’s writing, the meaning behind his works, along with his cosmic vision and legacy. The Inklings and King Arthur – This course explores how J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Charles Williams, and other Inklings authors interpreted the Arthurian legends in their work. Introduction to Old Norse – The first half of this course provides a focus on Old Icelandic grammar, and the second half allows students to begin reading from a selection of Old Icelandic prose and poetic texts. To view our course offerings for Summer 2023, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... To learn more about Signum University: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ For more upcoming news and Signum events: https://signumuniversity.org/news-and... Want to learn more about Signum's educational offerings? Start here: https://signumuniversity.org/non-degr...

Thesis Theater: Jennifer Ewing, “The Promises to the Overcomer” This recording from April 3rd, 2023. Signum MA student Jennifer Ewing will present her thesis “The Promises to the Overcomer: The Gifts and Rewards Given to the Fellowship in The Lord of the Rings” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Jennifer’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Michael Corso. Abstract J. R. R. Tolkien’s devout Catholicism and Biblical knowledge, through personal study and professional translation and commentary on medieval works, is well known. This Catholic and biblical ‘leaf-mould’ finds its way into the gifts and rewards which were given to the Fellowship in completion of their quest in The Lord of the Rings (Letters 409). This thesis presents evidence that the gifts or rewards articulated as promises to the overcomer in the book of Revelation seem to correspond in theme and value to a gift or a reward in The Lord of the Rings and include: the tree of life (Rev. 2.7), no second death (Rev. 2.11), manna, a white stone, and a new name (Rev. 2.17), rule of the nations, the morning star (Rev. 2.26, 28), white raiment (Rev. 3.5), to be a secure as a pillar in the temple of My God (Rev. 3.12), and to sit with Jesus on his throne (Rev. 3.21). In addition to the religious symbolism, there is a cursory exploration of the stewardship aspects of the gifts and rewards. Without prudent use of these gifts (or rewards), the War of the Ring would have been lost and quest would have surely failed. About the Presenter Jennifer Ewing read the Bass & Rankin illustrated edition of The Hobbit when she was ten years old. Despite this auspicious start, fourteen years passed before she read The Lord of the Rings. Some say that entering a course of study with an aim in mind brings a certain depth to that subject. Jennifer has known for the past twenty years that she wanted to write a thesis on Tolkien and Revelation 2-3. She attended seminary (where she is the library director), taking courses with that object in mind, and after graduation she waited two whole months before enrolling at Signum. About Signum Thesis Theaters Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ Registration is open for the Summer 2023 semester! Classes begin Monday, May 1st. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/non-degr...

This recording from December 1, 2022. Find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Spring Term (January 9 – April 2) and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses will be on hand to explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer questions from the live audience. Your host, Professor Sparrow Alden, will introduce you to some of our amazing Spring Term professors: Sara Brown, Gabriel Schenk, Liam Daley, and Nelson Goering. The Spring 2023 Courses: Race, Gender, and the Other in Tolkien’s Middle-earth – This course explores the issues of race, sexuality, gender, and Othering in the mythological legendarium of J.R.R. Tolkien. The Gothic Tradition – This course will investigate the fascinating and subversive Gothic imagination, identify the historical conditions that have inspired it, and consider how it has developed across time and place and medium. Chaucer I: Visions of Love – This class is the first semester in a two-part survey of Chaucer’s major works, looking at his early dream vision poems and his greatest completed work: Troilus and Criseyde. Introduction to Germanic Philology II – This class provides an introduction to Germanic comparative philology in a broad sense. Students are not expected to have prior familiarity with any language other than modern English. To view our course offerings for Spring 2023, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... Gift the joy of learning. Our Anytime Audit Holiday Special runs from now until December 31st. To view a full list of eligible courses and register for a certificate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScOqBiJ7akJl37Oo5RPfGKnrBALR0SxtZXoBLNyW_G8fqMA/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0 To learn more about Signum University: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ For more upcoming news and Signum events: https://signumuniversity.org/news-and...

This is Part 1 of the separate recordings from The 2022 Fall Fundraising Campaign Finale, recorded on November 19, 2022. Our teaching programs Signum Graduate School https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... Signum Academy Clubs https://signumuniversity.org/non-degr... Mythgard Institute https://mythgard.org/ SPACE Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/non-degr... New programs Signum University Press https://press.signumuniversity.org/ Signum Studios About Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/ Mission https://signumuniversity.org/about/mi... Support Signum University https://signumuniversity.org/support/

This recording from September 5, 2022. Signum MA student Nadia Schafer will present her thesis “One Strange (s) Elf: Deep Ecology, Decolonization and the Radical Hope of Legolas Greenleaf ” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Nadia’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Sara Brown. Abstract: While living through a national reckoning, a global pandemic, and a worsening climate change crisis, what The Lord of the Rings can offer to those living on Turtle Island in the 2020s? This thesis argues that the text offers its reader radical hope through the ecocritical voice through the character Legolas Greenleaf. Strongly influenced by the writings of Joanna Macy, Donna Haraway, and Robin Wall Kimmerer, “One Strange (s)Elf” explores the narrative of Legolas’ role in the process of decolonization and restoration in Middle-earth. Using a postcolonial analysis paired with Deep Ecology, this thesis establishes an Indigenous reading of the Silvan Elves. Building of this reading, it further demonstrates the power of making Oddkin as an act of decolonization, explores the elements of the Queer Gothic in the depiction of Fangorn’s Huorns, and acknowledges the power of shared grief. Finally, this work demonstrates how Tolkien suggests to his audience an alternative to despair by offering the choice to stray. About the Presenter: Nadia Schafer (she/her) is a Social Services Worker, Certified Human Resources Professional, and speculative writer living on the Haldimand Tract in Southwestern Ontario. Her career as a jack-of-all-trades has included everything from non-profit consulting to teaching preschool. You can find her promoting her creative work as Nadia Steven Rysing on Twitter @atendency (https://twitter.com/atendency). About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/

This recording from August 25, 2022. Find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Fall Term (August 29 – November 20) and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses will be on hand to explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer questions from the live audience. Your host, Dr. Gabriel Schenk, will introduce you to our amazing Fall Term professors: Dr. Amy H. Sturgis, Dr. Faith Acker, Dr. Nelson Goering, Dr. Larry Swain, and Dr. Liam Daley The Spring 2022 Courses: Dark Academia – Dark Academia explores this thriving genre which combines the Gothic, schooldays stories, mystery, and speculative fiction. Foundations in Critical Reading and Research – This core course introduces students to current practices and conventions of graduate scholarship in Language and Literature, core literary theories, and foundational Humanities skills. Beowulf Through Tolkien – This course examines Tolkien and Beowulf together to provide insight into both the classic Old English epic and Tolkien’s modern fantasy works. Shakespeare and the Middle Ages – The course examines Shakespeare’s Comedies in the context of their medieval literary sources, his Histories in light of Tudor views of the recent medieval past, and his Tragedies in the context of medieval beliefs and cosmologies. Introduction to Germanic Philology I – This class offers a survey of the older Germanic languages (especially Gothic, Old Norse, and Old English), and the literatures written in those languages. To view our course offerings for Fall 2022, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/degree-p... To learn more about Signum Univesity, visit: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ For more upcoming events and Signum news: https://signumuniversity.org/news-and... Don't forget to check out more videos on this channel for past events and our free, fun, and educational weekly activities.

Thesis Theater: Jacob R. Schreiner, "Sub-creation Through Speech-Acts in Tolkien’s Legendarium" This recording from June 1, 2022. Signum MA student Jacob R. Schreiner will present his thesis “The Logos of Faith: Sub-creation Through Speech-Acts in Tolkien’s Legendarium” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Jacob’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Brenton Dickieson. Abstract: J.R.R. Tolkien’s theory of sub-creation has long been studied within his legendarium, and how humanity, being created by God, has the desire to imitate the Creator through sub-creation. However, what is the connection between God’s command for the universe to Be and humanity’s ability to sub-create? This thesis examines logos as “word” and “reason” in creation and its relationship to sub-creation through the investigative lens of speech-act theory. According to J.L. Austin and other speech-act theorists, when one speaks, it is not merely to say words, but by the act of speech, one performs, which produces consequential effects by the speaker. In The Silmarillion, Ilúvatar’s original speech-act brought all of creation into being and allowed the Ainur to sub-create within Arda according to the logical reason and design of the universe and by the word, “Eä!” The same is true in Middle-earth. Frodo and Sam harness the power of the logos in their speech-acts, and in prayer as a speech-act, by having faith, they can sub-create through language and bring about physical changes within their world. About the Presenter: Jacob R. Schreiner holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Sam Houston State University. His first conference presentation was at TexMoot in 2019 where he presented his paper “God of War and the Norse Oral Storyteller,” and later that year presented at Mythmoot VI on “’What a worm’s made for!’: The Cure to Conquering Dragons in C.S. Lewis’ Pilgrim’s Regress and Voyage of the ‘Dawn Treader.’” At Mythmoot VII, Jacob presented his paper, “A Light for Hobbit Feet: Moral Choices that Defy Darkness in Children’s Fantasy.” His research interests include fantasy, especially the works of J.R.R. Tolkien, speech-act theory, and Germanic philology. Jacob currently runs a blog called The Tolkienian where he analyzes the works of Tolkien, fantasy, and science fiction. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! To view Jacob's blog, The Tolkienian: https://thetolkienian.wordpress.com/ For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

Thesis Theater: Miriam Davidson, "Nonviolent Countercurrents in Tolkien's Epic of War" This recording from May 26, 2022. Signum MA student Miriam Davidson will present her thesis “The Sword Not for its Sharpness: Nonviolent Countercurrents in Tolkien’s Epic of War” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Miriam’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Brenton Dickieson. Abstract: The Lord of the Rings highlights Tolkien’s use of characters and narrative to accentuate the courage and honor earned by those who sacrifice themselves in combat. His plot demands, and often justifies, violent action. The people of Middle-earth will not stand by as Sauron works to enslave and kill the free folk. Still, there is a clear and consistent emphasis on the cost and devastation these violent engagements bring. Tolkien’s narrative strongly warns against the lust for power and the will to dominate others while elevating the importance of grace, forgiveness, and not striking without the gravest of need. War victors should be magnanimous, offering reconciliation and forgiveness to the defeated rather than destruction, slavery, or crippling reparations. Discovering the tensions at play between the honor of war and its human devastation, this thesis explores the countercurrents of nonviolence in Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings. These countercurrents ultimately demonstrate that Tolkien’s representation of war and nonviolence is impacted by his literary mode, educational background, personal beliefs, and exposure to war. About the Presenter: Miriam Davidson has been practicing as a forensic psychiatric nurse practitioner in the Department of Corrections for the past 15 years. She has a deep-rooted love for fantasy literature and pursued a MA degree to expand and strengthen her reading and writing skills. With the help of her husband and dogs, she spends her free time restoring a 200-year-old lighthouse in Downeast, Maine. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

Thesis Theater: Emily Austin, "The Road Gives Ever On: the Road Motif in Lord of the Rings" This recording from May 21, 2022. Signum MA student Emily Austin will present her thesis “The Road Gives Ever On: Following the Road Motif in The Lord of the Rings ” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Emily’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Sara Brown. Abstract: The Lord of the Rings makes prominent use of “The Road” as a multifaceted symbolic image, but roads also play a more subtly powerful role in the text as a tool of narrative description. Tolkien’s stylistic treatment of roads and paths builds on his longstanding interest in the concept, visible in many earlier writings. In The Lord of the Rings, attention to the characters’ roads as they journey is a recurring motif that becomes particularly central for Frodo and Sam on the way to Mount Doom. This paper uses close reading and digital text analysis to identify four principal ways this narrative attention to roads can manifest, and examines how they undergird and enrich the concept’s thematic significance. About the Presenter: From an early age, Emily Austin has loved both reading and the visual arts, and pursued ways to combine these interests. Her favorite authors, particularly J.R.R. Tolkien and Jane Austen, shaped both her literary tastes and her artistic imagination, and they continue to provide both academic interest and inspiration for art projects. Born and raised on Oahu, Hawaii, Emily now lives in Indiana with her husband Ryan and runs a business creating art, illustration, and graphic design. Besides reading and painting, Emily also loves travel, photography, and sewing. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

Thesis Theater: Taylor Johnson Guinan, "Ventures into the Land of the Dead in Children's Literature” This recording from May 7, 2022. Signum MA student Taylor Johnson Guinan will present her thesis “Only in Dying Life: Ventures into the Land of the Dead in Children’s Fantasy Literature” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Taylor’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Sara Brown. Abstract: Modern children’s fantasy authors often depict the land of the dead as a dark and uninviting stage of a multi-stage death. How and why are these lands commonly depicted? Are there any key commonalities or divergences in the depiction of these lands of death? What is the effect of their depiction? This thesis examines children’s fantasy novels published in the last 30 years that contain a significant depiction of the land of the dead to determine what modern children’s fantasy authors are doing specifically, which may differ from previously published works. While the land of the dead is normally separated from life, dark, uninviting, and dangerous, the living’s journey through the land of the dead results in a greater appreciation for life, or reveals that the land of the dead is only a temporary transition stage to something greater, such as rebirth into life or an undescribed beyond. This revelatory experience replaces fear with peace and hope when death comes. About the Presenter: Taylor Johnson Guinan holds a Bachelor of the Arts in Secondary Education with an emphasis in English from Arizona State University. In their honors program, she wrote her senior thesis on the benefits of using Science Fiction and Fantasy literature in the classroom accompanied by an implementable curriculum all titled “The Origins of Science Fiction and Fantasy in British Literature”. In 2015, she published a review of Shadow of the Wolf by Tim Hall in the Journal of Adult and Adolescent Literature, and at the 2021 Mythmoot she presented the paper “The Dystopian Looking Glass: Propaganda in Harry Potter and the Hunger Games.” About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Summer 2022 registration! The semester begins on May 2nd. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from April 15th, 2022. Signum MA student Phil Knight will present his thesis “Drauma-Jóns Saga: A Digital Edition and Translation” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theatre. The discussion will be facilitated by Phil’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Paul Peterson. Abstract: Though once long neglected and even disparaged by academia, the Old Norse-Icelandic genre of chivalric sagas or riddarasögur were, to judge by the number of surviving manuscripts containing these stories, clearly extremely popular with their Late Medieval Age audiences. Drauma-Jóns saga, itself preserved in over fifty manuscripts dating from the mid to late fourteenth century through to the nineteenth, was no exception. This study presents a digital edition and English translation of Drauma-Jóns saga (The Story of Dream-Jón) based on the AM 657 4° manuscript housed at the Den Arnamagnæanske Samling repository in Copenhagen, Denmark. About the Presenter: Phil Knight is from Wolverhampton in the UK. He has been studying for an MA with Signum University since 2017 with a special focus on Germanic Philology. Prior to this he obtained a BA (Hons) in Classical Studies with The Open University. His academic interests include studying and learning languages (both ancient and modern), Old Norse-Icelandic literature, history (especially medieval), mythology and folklore. In his spare time he enjoys reading (especially horror and the occult, fantasy and sci-fi), film, TV and theatre, listening to music, and following the fortunes of his beloved football team, West Brom. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Summer 2022 registration! The semester begins on May 2nd. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from April 22, 2022. Find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Summer Term (May 2 – July 31) and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses will be on hand to explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer questions from the live audience. The Summer 2022 Courses: Digital Text – This course is an introduction to developing and working with texts electronically, particularly literary and historical language texts. Germanic Myths and Legends – This course puts the myths and legends of the medieval Germanic world in their wider cultural and historical contexts. The Dystopian Tradition – This class will consider historical and current “what if?” thought experiments, including classics such as 1984 and bestsellers like The Hunger Games. Tolkien in Context – This course examines how Tolkien’s subcreated world of Middle-earth engages with issues and concepts relevant to readers, including racism, immigration, the place of women, the ongoing battle of good versus evil, environmental concerns and the rise of technology. For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Summer 2022 registration! The semester begins on May 2nd. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/

recorded on January 4, 2022. Signum University Spring 2022 semester starts January 10! In this Course Preview event, you can find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Spring Term (January 10 – April 3) and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer questions from the live audience. The link to the announcement of this event. https://signumuniversity.org/event/sp... The Spring 2022 Courses The Return of King Arthur, lectured by Dr. Gabriel Schenk – This course tracks the return of King Arthur through British and American novels, poetry, plays, films, short stories, and comics. https://signumuniversity.org/catalog/... Old Saxon: Heliand and Genesis – Read and translate the major works of Old Saxon literature in this language seminar. https://signumuniversity.org/catalog/... Science Fiction Part I, lectured by Dr. Amy H. Sturgis– Join award-winning scholar Dr. Amy H. Sturgis as she explores the ways in which the literature of science fiction over time has asked the question: “What if?” https://signumuniversity.org/catalog/... Tolkien’s World of Middle-earth, lectured by Dr. Verlyn Flieger – In this course, students will read Tolkien’s critical essays, translations, and imaginative stories to explore how his world and his myth developed over time. https://signumuniversity.org/catalog/... For more information on the courses in the Spring semester. https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... To learn more about Signum University, visit: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ For more upcoming events at Signum University, visit us at: https://signumuniversity.org/event/ Don't forget to check out more videos on this channel for the past events and our free, fun, and educational weekly activities.

This recording from January 5th, 2022. Signum master’s student Elise Trudel Cedeño will present her thesis “Series Theory: Examining the Structure of the Modern Fantasy Epic” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Elise’s supervisor, Professor Kris Swank. Abstract: Series Theory is a new, critical approach to examining Modern Fantasy in a serial context. There are two disparate methods when analyzing fantasy series texts- either by way of their fantastic content or by discussing how the overall structure of the series contributes to their meaning. There is little scholarship that examines how the structure of a series adds to or fully composes the fantasy narrative. Series Theory, however, melds Structuralism and Seriality Studies concepts together by examining how the repeated patterns within a series set (trilogies, septologies, etc.) creates an exciting escape while remaining safe and consoled by the familiar, repetitive structures. This thesis aims to show how the overall structure of the Modern Fantasy epic, closed-ended series creates meaning to the fantastic through three key stages: the Repetition of familiar narrative structures, the progression and Elaboration of each repeated element, and finally closing with a Eucatastrophic event and the room for a new beginning. About the Presenter: Elise Trudel Cedeño makes magic by teaching Literacy and Literature through various homeschool platforms, including Signum Academy Clubs. She earned her B.A. at Wagner College and her Master of Arts in Teaching English at Teachers College, Columbia University. In her free time, when she has any, she fosters kittens with her local humane society, and she tries new recipes for delicious homemade pies. She lives in rural Massachusetts with her loving husband, and by the time this thesis airs, her first child will be making an arrival at any time. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Spring 2022 registration! The semester begins January 10th. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from December 18th, 2021 If the answer is always reading good Science Fiction and fantasy, then the question must always be “How can I best spend my time and escape the normal confines of our day?” Join us at 6pm Eastern on December 18th for our non-affiliated Hugo Awards evening, when a panel of Science-fiction and Fantasy readers will each talk about one of the shortlisted titles in the Best Novel category of the 2021 Hugo Awards! The Relentless Moon, by Mary Robinette Kowal (Macmillan) – reviewed by Trevor Brierly The City We Became by N.K. Jemisin (Orbit) – reviewed by Sparrow Alden Harrow the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir (Tor.com) – reviewed by Kris Swank Piranesi by Susanna Clark (Bloomsberry) – reviewed by Brenton Dickieson Black sun by Rebecca Roanhorse (Simon and Shuster) – reviewed by Kat Sas Network Effect by Martha Wells (Tor.com) – reviewed by Laurel Stevens Each reviewer will take five minutes to introduce their novel and talk about what they liked or didn’t like about it. We will then open up for a wider discussion, taking questions and comments from the audience. The audience will then vote on which novel they most want to read, and which they think should win the prestigious Best Novel Hugo Award. The actual winner will be announced at DisCon III, shortly after our event! It will be a journey of discovery, exploration, mind expansion and just plain good fun. About the Hugo Award: The Hugo Award is an annual literary award for the best science fiction or fantasy works and achievements of the previous year, given at the World Science Fiction Convention and chosen by its members. It was first delivered in 1953. For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Spring 2022 registration! The semester begins January 10th. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from December 11, 2021. Signum master’s student Ryan Moniz will present his thesis “Brewing Óðinn’s Mead: A Reconstructive Approach to Germanic Verse Formula” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Ryan’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Nelson Goering. Abstract: ‘In this thesis, I approach formulaic elements in Germanic alliterative verse from a comparative historical linguistics perspective, applying the comparative method to cognate verse formulae which appear in multiple old Germanic languages including Old Norse, Old English, Old Saxon, and Old High German. I first present the raw data extracted from early mythological, heroic, legendary, and elegiac Germanic alliterative poetry, then I review the data and provide a linguistic reconstruction of each formula presented. The objective of applying this approach is to yield a list of pre-historical reconstructions of verse formulae common to West Germanic languages, and common to both West and North Germanic languages.’ About the Presenter: Ryan Moniz earned his BA in Linguistics and Cultural Studies from Seattle Pacific University. He has been an enthusiastic reader of ancient and medieval poetry from a young age, and is passionate about the historical connections between languages and cultures. He is currently planning his next journey in the woods with his partner and their dog in Seattle, Washington. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ We are open for Spring 2022 registration! The semester begins on January 10th. To view our upcoming courses: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/... Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from November 18 2021. Signum master’s student Eugene Sullivan will present his thesis “Red Indians in Middle Earth: The Woses of Drúadan Forest and the Racial Landscape of Tolkien’s Legendarium” and respond to questions from the audience in an interactive Thesis Theater. The discussion will be facilitated by Eugene’s thesis supervisor, Dr. Sara Brown. Abstract: The shift from the mythological mode of The Book of Lost Tales and the early Silmarillion, to the novelistic mode of The Lost Road and The Lord of the Rings brought the Men of Middle-earth into sharper focus. The Lord of the Rings is, as Tolkien noted, “a Mannish affair”. In populating Middle-earth with Mannish cultures, Tolkien drew on many sources for inspiration, both historical and literary. For the Woses, who appear unexpectedly from the forest in The Return of the King to help bring the Rohirrim to the aid of Gondor, Tolkien looked to a cultural depiction that had captured his interest as a child: the Red Indian. As depicted in The Lord of the Rings, these people are the inheritors of a complicated legacy of stereotypes that reaches back through the Piccaninnies of J. M. Barrie’s Peter Pan, through the Mohicans and Hurons of Cooper’s Last of the Mohicans, to the travelogues and romances generated by the interactions between European settlers and the Indigenous inhabitants of North America. This thesis explores the history and characteristics of the Romantic Indian trope, and the ways in which their presence, and Tolkien’s attempt to explain that presence, alters the cultural landscape of all three Ages of the history of Middle-earth. About the Presenter: Eugene Sullivan earned his BA in English from UC Santa Barbara. He is a lifelong fan of Tolkien, and was a regular listener of the Tolkien Professor podcast before beginning the Masters program at Signum University. He is employed as a System Engineer at Sony Pictures Entertainment, and also plays guitar in a Traditional Irish band. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife, two kids, and two dogs. About Signum Thesis Theaters: Each of our master’s students writes a thesis at the end of their degree program, exploring a topic of their choice. The Thesis Theater is their opportunity to present their research to a general audience, and answer questions. All are welcome to attend! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

This recording from October 31st, 2021. Add to your Halloween experience this October 31st at 5pm with a remembrance of the ancient Gaelic celebration of Samhain. Samhain, the forerunner of Halloween, was a time of reckoning and observing of the turning of the Fall season into the darkness of the Winter. Although many different communal activities were done, the ones remembered mostly are the recognition of the coming of the dark, and the telling of a good “tale’ of the travel into and out of fairy on this unique night; the Adventures of Nera is such a tale. On this evening join the ghoulish Signum circle of Prof. Gabriel “O lygad y ffynnon” Schenk, Prof. Sara “Fel cath i gythraul” Brown, Prof. Maggie “Mynd o flaen gofid” Parke, and Dr. Jay “diafol O’ Malley” Moses as the festivities begin. READ through the dark tale of The Adventures of Nera! DWELVE into the ancient lore of the Irish REVEL in the discussion of the attraction of the dark and macabre in tales of old Enjoy the delight of the coming dark with story and humor! For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit: https://signumuniversity.org/ Learn about Signum University’s mission, leadership and more: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ Want to enjoy Signum’s educational offerings? Start here! https://signumuniversity.org/start/

Signum University State of the University Address by Corey Olsen, featuring the university updates and the SPACE (Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education) program launch. Recorded on Oct. 16, 2021, as part of the Annual Fundraising Campaign 2021 webathon. (You can watch the whole webathon recording here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zLUPn...) 0:08 Signum University updates 41:12 SPACE launch announcement: really? Another Signum program? 1:02:30 SPACE launch announcement: the program details Signum University Annual Fund https://signumuniversity.org/fund/ SPACE: Signum Portals for Adult Continuing Education https://signumuniversity.org/space/ For more information about Signum University, visit https://signumuniversity.org/ https://signumuniversity.org/start/

Recorded on April 16th, 2021. Summer 2021 semester starts on May 3rd, 2021. Find out about the new courses offered at Signum University this coming Summer Term (May 3 – July 23), and meet the professors who will be teaching them! Representatives from the courses will be on hand to explain how the classes work, what people can expect if they sign up, and answer audience questions. The Summer 2021 Courses: Exploring Star Trek – Amy Sturgis boldly takes Signum where it’s never gone before: into Star Trek! Introduction to Old English – This course provides an introduction to Old English grammar, giving students a working reading competency in the language and the chance to put that knowledge into practice. Tolkien’s Poetry – In this class, we will examine Tolkien’s short poetic works in detail, taking a chronological look at Tolkien’s career through the window of his poetry. Classical Myths and Legends – This course puts the myths and legends of the Classical world in their wider cultural and historical contexts. To learn more about Signum University, visit: https://signumuniversity.org/about/ We are open for Summer 2021 registration! For a list of upcoming courses, visit: https://signumuniversity.org/classes/future/ For more upcoming events at Signum University, visit us at: https://signumuniversity.org/event/

The recording from December 3, 2020, of a presentation and Q&A with the editors of a new volume of previously unpublished work by Owen Barfield, the first and last Inkling. The event includes a short talk introducing Barfield’s work by the author’s grandson. The discussion is moderated by Gabriel Schenk. The panelists: Owen A. Barfield, the grandson of the author Owen Barfield, Dr. Leslie A. Taylor, Dr. Jefferey H. Taylor, Dr. David Blakesley Owen Barfield Literary Estate https://owenbarfield.org/ The Tower: Major Poems and Plays at Parlor Press website. https://parlorpress.com/products/the-... For more information, please visit the original announcement page for this event. https://signumuniversity.org/event/th... Signum Symposia playlist https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list... For more information about Signum University and our degree program, please visit https://signumuniversity.org/

A translator is not free: J. R. R. Tolkien’s Guidelines for Translation and Their Application in Sir Orfeo Curtis Weyant While bemoaning his struggles with translating the Middle English poem “Pearl,” Tolkien declared to his aunt, Jane Neave, that ‘a translator is not free”: but he neglected to delineate the specific rules by which he believed translators were shackled. Fortunately, elsewhere in his writings, Tolkien provides hints and directives on how to approach translating. This paper collects Tolkien’s translation guidelines from across several of his works, and it describes how he applied them in his own translations, using his posthumously published translation of Sir Orfeo as a basis for demonstration, particularly in comparison to the Auchinleck manuscript version as published by Kenneth Sisam (for which Tolkien provided a glossary) and the Middle English edition Tolkien prepared for his 1944 naval cadets’ course on the poem.

Getting Sick of It: Narrative Functions of Sickness in Egils Saga Skallagrímssonar and Laxdæla Saga Laura Lee Smith Many characters die in the course of Egils Saga Skallagrímssonar and Laxdæla Saga, most from battle wounds or homicide, and some from old age or other natural causes. Characters may also take to their beds for various reasons, including grief. But in some instances, the narrator specifically reports that a character is sick. Such mentions warrant attention, because “illness and healing are not presented as central themes of medieval Scandinavians’ mythical understanding of the world” (Hall 196). Indeed, illness in these two sagas, where it is mentioned at all, serves one of three main narrative functions. The first function may be simple “housekeeping”: that is, death moves characters off-stage or furthers the plot by setting up inheritance disputes or the like, and illness is an efficient way of justifying a death without special groundwork or explanation. The second function is that an illness, foreseen by the sufferer to be a fatal one, gives him one last chance to influence the future. The third function is that of a temporary disability that reveals something about the sufferer’s mental or emotional state, or other qualities that would have remained hidden.

The Bitter Watches of the Night: From Anne Elliot to Éowyn of Rohan—Crossing Frontiers from the Home front to the Battlefront Jennifer Ewing J. R. R. Tolkien is often accused of either not having enough female characters, or that those present are not as fully realized as his male characters. However, Tolkien’s keen understanding of the emotional challenges women face is revealed when we consider the surprising parallelism between the life of Éowyn of Rohan in The Lord of the Rings and Anne Elliot of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. Anne’s conversation with Captain Harville about which sex is more constant in loving the other seems an odd passage to compare with the discussion that Aragorn, Éomer, and Gandalf have at Éowyn’s bedside in the Houses of Healing, but it is exactly this comparison that demonstrates how Tolkien crossed the boundary from high fantasy into topics important in women’s literature. Anne claims that women do not forget as quickly as men do because women remain at home, subject to their emotions, while men go out into the world to work, and that distraction aids forgetting. Likewise, Gandalf observes that Éomer had his horses and fields, while his sister, because she was a woman, stayed home caring for her infirm uncle, enduring emotional suffering and feelings of uselessness. Anne’s explanation that “We live at home, quiet, confined, and our feelings prey upon us” is eerily echoed by Gandalf: “Who knows what she spoke to the darkness, alone, in the bitter watches of the night, when all her life seemed shrinking, and the walls of her bower closing in about her?” This presentation will discuss the nearly twenty commonalities found between the two women as they cross the frontier from the home front to the battlefront, including their paternal and sibling relationships, familial duties, appearances, choices of husbands, motifs of loneliness and death, and decisions about their futures. Even though they reside in two very different genres, by the end of their respective novels, these women become independent and resilient, knowing their own minds.

The composite authorship of Andreas David Maddock The Old English poem “Andreas” has long been a source of controversy in the Anglo-Saxon scholarly community. Although it bears no runic signature, scholars have noted significant stylistic similarities between “Andreas” and the four signed poems of Cynewulf, suggesting that they may share a common author. Others have cited affinities with Beowulf or grammatical differences from Cynewulf to argue against Cynewulfian authorship. By correlating quantitative analysis of oral-formulaic language with the lexomics techniques of cluster analysis and moving ratios pioneered by Dr. Michael Drout, this paper demonstrates the existence of an older Beowulfian core around which a Cynewulfian poet built the received poem. Understanding the composite nature of “Andreas” can bring fresh data to a notorious scholarly controversy.

The Postmodern Kaleidoscope of London Below in Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere Chris Yokel In Neil Gaiman’s first novel Neverwhere, an ordinary Londoner named Richard Mayhew is ushered into the fantastical underworld of London Below when he helps the mysterious injured vagrant girl, Door. After crossing paths with her and getting caught up in her story, Richard must traverse the shadowy and dangerous realms of the London underworld. In London Below, Neil Gaiman has crafted a postmodern kaleidoscope of a world that melds literary elements such as Greek mythology, Atlantis, Dante’s Inferno, Paradise Lost, Alice in Wonderland, Puss in Boots, and other stories through which Richard must travel as he undergoes his heroic journey. Gaiman crosses borders between these genres and stories as he relates Richard’s own border crossing from London Above to London Below.

Tolkien’s Crossing of Revisionary Boundaries Chris Gavaler and Nathaniel Goldberg Some novelists revise their stories by restarting them. Others revise by revealing new things about them. Still others revise simply by continuing them. All of these kinds of revisions are common, but J.R.R. Tolkien crossed revisionary boundaries by engaging in all three simultaneously. In 1937 Tolkien published the first edition of The Hobbit, or There and Back Again. In 1951 he restarted the story by publishing the second edition; among other changes, Tolkien replaced the initial account of Bilbo’s encounter with Gollum (in Chapter 5, “Riddles in the Dark”) with a darker version. In 1954 in The Lord of the Rings (in the Prologue and in Book 2, Chapter 2, “The Council of Elrond”) Tolkien revealed that the initial account was a “lie” and the darker version was “the true account” of what had actually happened. Also in The Lord of the Rings, Tolkien continued the darker version from the 1951 edition of The Hobbit directly. Using Tolkien as our exemplar, we identify these three kinds of revisions—restarts, revelations, and continuations—as reboots, retcons, and sequels, and determine the necessary and sufficient condition for each kind of revision. We conclude that the 1951 editions of The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings stand in multiple revisionary relations to the 1937 edition. Tolkien crossed revisionary boundaries in his different works: sometimes even in the same ones.

Special: State of the University Address

http://signumuniversity.org/news/state-of-the-university-in-2016/

As part of the Signum University Annual Fund Campaign in the fall of 2015, in this Mythgard Academy mini-class, Signum University President Dr. Corey Olsen discussed the story and themes of the episode "Blink" from Series 3 of Doctor Who. Later in the segment, he was joined by Signum students Katherine Sas and Curtis Weyant – of the Kat & Curt's TV Re-View podcast – to discuss how the episode fits more generally into the overall show.

Mythgard Academy, the Simarillion Film Project, and other free events and series that we offer free to the public are funded by tax-deductible donations. Please consider donating by going to http://www.signumuniversity.org and clicking on the "Donate" link at the top of the fast links box.

Stars and stones! Crows and furies! SilmFilm co-hosts Corey Olsen, Trish Lambert and Dave Kale went all fan, all the time as they spent time with author Jim Butcher (The Dresden Files, Codex Alera, and the brand new Cinder Spires series) about adaptation, from Jackson’s take on the The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings to his own experiences in the TV adaptation of The Dresden Files. Conversation range wide and far, and included Jim sharing about his own evolution as a writer—information that will be of interest to any aspiring author.

The Simarillion Film Project, Mythgard Academy, and other free events and series that we offer free to the public are funded by tax-deductible donations. Please consider donating by going to http://www.signumuniversity.org and clicking on the "Donate" link at the top of the fast links box.

As part of the Signum University Annual Fund Campaign Halloween Extravaganza in the fall of 2015, fantasy scholar and Signum lecturer Dr. Dimitra Fimi discussed Halloween customs and rites in literature – including extracts from some unexpected pieces of literature that have a Halloween flavor.

Faculty chats, Mythgard Academy courses, the Simarillion Film Project, and other free events and series that we offer free to the public are funded by tax-deductible donations. Please consider donating by going to http://www.signumuniversity.org and clicking on the "Donate" link at the top of the fast links box.

The Mythgard Academy lecture series focuses on novel-length books, with a weekly lecture over eight to ten weeks. However, as part of the Signum University Annual Fund Campaign the Halloween Extravaganza in 2015, Dr. Corey Olsen conducted a lecture on one of Tolkien's shorter works: The Father Christmas Letters, a selection of letters Tolkien wrote to his children over a number of years. If you’ve never read or considered this short but imaginative book, this is your chance to delve into it.

Mythgard Academy, the Simarillion Film Project, and other free events and series that we offer free to the public are funded by tax-deductible donations. Please consider donating by going to http://www.signumuniversity.org and clicking on the "Donate" link at the top of the fast links box.

As part of the Signum University Annual Fund Campaign in the fall of 2015, Signum Master’s Program participant and resident Spreadsheet Queen Sparrow Alden and "should be an advisor to The Big Bang Theory" Dave Kale talk about computational text analysis of The Hobbit. Sounds dry? You don’t know these two. With Corey Olsen chiming in from the sidelines and audience participation designed into the segment, this is a fun-filled talk complete with charts and word geekery galore!

Mythgard Academy, the Simarillion Film Project, and the other free shows and series we offer free to the public are funded by tax-deductible donations. Please consider donating by going to http://www.signumuniversity.org and clicking on the "Donate" link at the top of the fast links box.

This free online lecture is part of the Mythgard Academy Guest Lecture Series.

Synopsis: John Keats spoke of "The truth of Imagination"; this lecture will explore the ways in which the rich, intuitive, and image-laden myth-making of Lewis and Tolkien allows the imagination to become a truth-bearing faculty.

Recordings from Monday, Oct. 26, 2015

Watch: Video Listen: Audio

Suggested Reading

• Tree and Leaf by Tolkien, especially the poem "Mythopoeia"
• The introduction to Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination by Malcolm Guite

 

Biography

Malcolm Guite is a priest, poet, professor, writer, and rock-n-roller. He is Bye-Fellow, Chaplain, and Supervisor in English and Theology at Girton College, Cambridge University. He researches and writes about the interface between theology and the arts, particularly Theology and Literature, and has special interests in Coleridge and C.S. Lewis. He has published a book entitled Faith, Hope and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination, as well as poetry and theological writing. He is also one of the Clergy at St. Edward King and Martyr, in the Centre of Cambridge. He has a rock band called Mystery Train and is part of a jazz-poetry performance collective called riprap.

This free online lecture is part of the Mythgard Academy Guest Lecture Series.

Both mythical studies and the study of fairy-tales took on new importance during the early nineteenth century, along with the entirely new development of comparative philology. Jacob Grimm was in all three cases the pivotal figure. The relationship between them continued to fascinate both scholars and creative writers, including Andrew Lang, C. S. Lewis, J. R. R. Tolkien, and their successors. This lecture will show how scholarly research acted as a direct stimulus for many creative writers.  

Recordings from Thursday, Sept. 10

Watch: Video Listen: Audio

Suggested Reading

• C.S. Lewis, That Hideous Strength (1954)
• C.S. Lewis, Till We Have Faces (1976)
• J.R.R. Tolkien, "On Fairy Stories," in The Tolkien Reader (1966)

Background Reading

• Bruno Bettelheim, The Uses of Enchantment (1976, pick a chapter or two from Part Two, which deals with individual fairy-tales)
• Derek Brewer, "The Interpretation of Fairy Tales", in A Companion to the Fairy Tale, ed. Hilda Ellis Davidson and Anna Chaudhuri, 15-37
• Sir James Frazer, The Golden Bough (many editions from 1890: just skip-read the first 3 chapters)
• Allan G. Hunter, Princes, Frogs and Ugly Sisters (2010, just pick one or two chapters out, as with Bettelheim above)
• Robert A. Segal, Myth: A Very Short Introduction (2004)
• Tom Shippey, "Rewriting the Core," in A Companion to the Fairy Tale, above, 253-74

Biography

Tom Shippey holds a PhD from Cambridge University and served for many years as the Chair of Humanities at Saint Louis University’s College of Arts and Sciences. He is a scholar of medieval literature, Anglo-Saxon language and literature, medievalism, modern fantasy, and science fiction. He is one of the world’s leading scholars on the works of Tolkien. His publications include The Road to Middle-earth, J.R.R. Tolkien: Author of the Century, and The Oxford Book of Science Fiction Stories. He has published many articles on Beowulf and Anglo-Saxon literature. He was born in Calcutta, India, and as a child played with a friend’s full-grown pet Bengal tiger.

This free online lecture is part of the Mythgard Academy Guest Lecture Series.

[caption id="attachment_1225" align="alignleft" width="180"] Dr. Amy H. Sturgis[/caption] What images come to mind when you think of Star Wars? Luke Skywalker watching the twin suns set on Tatooine? Princess Leia with a blaster in her hand and buns on her head? The glow of a lightsaber in the darkness? These visuals convey volumes, and they spring in part from a common origin. One of the keys to the worldwide success of Star Wars is that the saga draws from a variety of global sources, both classical and contemporary. Join Dr. Amy H. Sturgis as she discusses one particular tradition that has left its indelible imprint on the Star Wars franchise. How did pulp science fiction evolve? What is the relationship between this genre and the Western? And how can tracing the pulp ancestry of Star Wars give us new insights on key moments and messages across the Star Wars canon — and quite possibly shed light on the forthcoming film The Force Awakens? Star Wars fans and newbies alike are welcome!   Recordings from Saturday, Aug. 15, 2015 Watch: Video Listen: Audio Suggested Reading: Star Wars movies (episodes I – VI)

The Force of Star Wars

Be sure to check out Dr. Sturgis' fall class for the Mythgard Institute, The Force of Star Wars: Examining the Epic. This 12-week class will look at the traditions out of which George Lucas built his epic story, while also examining the cultural impact of Star Wars through today.

Biography

Amy H. Sturgis earned her Ph.D. in Intellectual History from Vanderbilt University and specializes in Science Fiction/Fantasy and Native American Studies. She is the author of four books and the editor of six others, and she has published over forty scholarly and mainstream essays. Some of her honors include the Imperishable Flame Award for Tolkien/Inklings Scholarship, the Scholar Guest of Honor distinction at Mythcon XXXVII, and the L.A. Press Club's Best Magazine Review/Criticism/Column Award. Since 2008, Sturgis has contributed regular "Looking Back at Genre History" segments and dramatic readings to StarShipSofa, which in 2010 became the first podcast in history to win the Hugo Award. With over 200 presentations to her credit, Sturgis is a regular speaker at universities and genre conventions across North America and Europe. A faculty member at Signum University's Mythgard Institute since 2012, she also teaches Liberal Studies at Lenoir-Rhyne University. Sturgis lives with her husband and their Boston terrier in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in North Carolina. Her official website is amyhsturgis.com.

David Brin

Can Science Fiction Change the World?

David Brin is a scientist, speaker, technical consultant, and world-known author. His novels have been New York Times Bestsellers, winning multiple Hugo, Nebula, and other awards. At least a dozen have been translated into more than twenty languages. Some of his best-known novels include Earth, The Postman (filmed in 1997), and Hugo Award winners Startide Rising and The Uplift War. A leading commentator and speaker on modern trends, his nonfiction book The Transparent Society won the Freedom of Speech Award of the American Library Association. Brin serves on advisory committees dealing with subjects as diverse as national defense and homeland security, astronomy and space exploration, SETI and nanotechnology, future/prediction and philanthropy. He has served since 2010 on the council of external advisers for NASA's Innovative and Advanced Concepts group (NIAC), which supports the most inventive and potentially ground-breaking new endeavors. In 2013, David Brin helped to establish the Arthur C. Clarke Center for Human Imagination at UCSD, where he was honored as a "distinguished alumnus" and where he was thereafter a Visiting Scholar in Residence. Brin's newest novel Existence explores the ultimate question: billions of planets are ripe for life. So where is Everybody? David's main thread: how will we shape the days and years ahead – and how will tomorrow shape us? David Brin's guest lecture is titled "Can Science Fiction Change the World?" Recordings from Saturday, July 25, 2015: Watch: Guest Lecture Video Listen: Guest Lecture Audio Review: Additional Resources

• Will we diversify into many types of humanity? (Video at Smithsonian Magazine; slides)
• Indignation, addiction and hope — does it help to be "mad as hell?" (TEDx talk; slides)
• Closer to Truth (Video series)
• Existence official trailer (YouTube Video)

Matthew Dickerson

Tolkien as Early Environmentalist

Matthew Dickerson is a Professor at Middlebury College in Vermont, associated with the Department of Computer Science, the Program of Environmental Studies, and the New England Young Writers’ Conference at Bread Loaf (which he directs). He has written or co-written several important books on Tolkien and other fantasy literature, including Ents, Elves, and Eriador: The Environmental Vision of J.R.R. Tolkien; From Homer to Harry Potter: A Handbook on Myth and Fantasy; Following Gandalf: Epic Battles and Moral Victory in The Lord of the Rings; Narnia and the Fields of Arbol: The Environmental Vision of C. S. Lewis; and A Hobbit Journey: Discovering the Enchantment of J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth. He also writes novels, including a novelization of the "Finn and Hengest" story. In addition to his teaching and writing, he is a musicians, songwriter, and avid fly-fisherman. He lives on a 62-acre wooded hillside parcel of land, where he taps trees, makes his own maple syrup, raises honeybees, keeps a garden without pesticides, and heats his house using wood from his own property. Matthew Dickerson's guest lecture for the Mythgard Academy is titled "Tolkien as Early Environmentalist." Recordings from June 17, 2015: Watch: Guest Lecture Video Listen: Guest Lecture Audio

Michael D. C. Drout

Lexomic Analysis of Beowulf and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Scholarship on the Poem: A Confluence

Michael Drout is Professor of English and Chair of the English Department at Wheaton College in Massachusetts. He has published several books of scholarship on Tolkien, Anglo-Saxon literature in general, and Beowulf in particular, including J.R.R. Tolkien Encyclopedia: Scholarship and Critical Assessment, Of Sorcerers and Men: Tolkien and the Roots of Modern Fantasy Literature, and Beowulf and the Critics. He is active in the promotion and dissemination of spoken Old English texts, and has himself made many recordings of Old English poetry and prose. His important work at Wheaton College’s Lexomics Research Group has led to the development of new, computer-assisted methods of textual analysis. Michael Drout's guest lecture for the Mythgard Academy is titled "Lexomic Analysis of Beowulf and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Scholarship on the Poem: A Confluence."   Recordings from March 23, 2015: Watch: Guest Lecture Video Listen: Guest Lecture Audio

C. S. Lewis used the German term sehnsucht to describe an inconsolable yearning, "an unsatisfied desire which is itself more desirable than any other satisfaction." Mythgard faculty member Sørina Higgins offered observations about Lewis and sehnsucht in a bonus lecture entitled "The Heraldry of Heaven: The Development of Sehnsucht in the Writings of C. S. Lewis" for the Tolkien-Lewis Mythgard Institute course. And in the true Mythgard tradition of continuously breaking new ground, this lecture is available free for viewing and/or listening. Audio version Video version