An open letter to the Advisory Board and Officers of ISAS:

As members and friends of ISAS, we should like to acknowledge the major problems faced by the Society, in which we have been complicit to this point. We ask for immediate action on the part of the Advisory Board and Officers to create a better future for all colleagues interested in researching the post-Roman to pre-1200 period in England and the North Atlantic Archipelago.

First, we echo the Medievalists of Color collective’s statement in support of Dr Mary Rambaran-Olm [read the statement here], and we thank Mary for the energy, leadership, commitment, and vision she has brought to the role of Second Vice-President. We recognize that ISAS has not created a welcoming environment for Black, Indigenous, and People of Colour (BIPOC), nor for women, queer, trans, disabled, early-career, contingent, precarious, and independent scholars. For that environment--and for our silence that has allowed it to continue for so long--we are sorry, and we commit to the work that will be needed to change this. We call upon ISAS members everywhere to affirm that the Society ensures its “work must take place in environments free from prejudice, racism, inequity or harassment, or related unethical behavior” and to affirm “its ongoing commitment to helping fashion an academic culture that fosters professional courtesy, respect, equity, diversity, tolerance and inclusion for all of its members, and for all people working in our related disciplines.” These phrases were agreed upon at the ISAS meeting in 2017, and the constitution was amended to that effect. However, words and intentions are meaningless without action. We and all ISAS members--led by its Officers and Board (whose labour on behalf of ISAS we absolutely acknowledge)--must work harder, more swiftly, and publicly to ensure that all colleagues are welcomed, supported and included in a community of scholars in this early period.

There are three ways to begin with to demonstrate such a commitment from ISAS:

1. The Advisory Board and Officers should act immediately and openly to change the name of the society. Considering the new name should not delay the announcement of the desire for change. To cite the need for regulations or constitutional process that prolong the issue is unhelpful at this point; urgent action is required. We consider that the case for a change of name has been made by our respected colleagues and by recent political developments on both sides of the Atlantic.

2. The Advisory Board and Officers must demonstrate with urgency that through its structure, processes, and actions ISAS has an obvious and clear commitment to policies and practices of inclusion. The Society as a whole must denounce harassment of any kind, and should strive at all times to make its meetings safe for colleagues, especially BIPOC, women and gender minorities. Known harassers have no place in our public spaces and no role in the leadership of this organization. All of ISAS’s work, in every aspect, should be anti-racist, anti-sexist, ethical, responsible, safe, and supportive of all colleagues interested in the field of study.

3. Other concrete and ongoing actions must be put in place now. A forum or discussion board for suggestions to improve the organization, which will be reviewed regularly, might be a small, but useful, start.

Signed, with respect,

Chris Abram
Tiffany Beechy
Patrick Conner (former Executive Director)
Heide Estes
Jacqueline Fay
Denis Ferhatovic
Martin Foys (former Executive Director)
Alaric Hall
Brandon Hawk
Mary Kate Hurley
Chris Jones
Catherine Karkov (former Advisory Board member)
Stacy Klein (former Executive Director)
Roy Liuzza (former Advisory Board member [ex officio, Dictionary of Old English])
Nicole Marafioti
Brian O’Camb
Sharon Rowley (former Advisory Board member)
Elaine Treharne (former Second Vice-President)
Renée Trilling
Eric Weiskott (Webmaster)
Jordan Zweck

[and co-signed by the following via ipetitions.com:]