It’s our first show! Be prepared for Swords and Sorcery! Or, more accurately, Historical European Martial Arts and Magic, the Occult, and Marginalized Religious Practices in America.
Presenters:
Jessie Harrigan:
She started fencing at 14 years old, competing in sabre. This continued through college before becoming a sabre and footwork coach for UTK’s fencing club until graduation. She took a hiatus from swords to dabble in other contact sports, including BJJ and kickboxing. However, the siren song of stabbing people drew her back into sword fighting, wherein she discovered Historical European Martial Arts. She’s been learning and teaching about all manner of pointy weapons ever since.
Summary
This presentation will give everyone a glimpse of Historical European Martial Arts in all of its deadly, maiming, sometimes silly glory, along with how we know what we know and what you can learn at Swordwind Historical Swordsmanship, Charlotte’s local HEMA club. If you’ve ever wanted to test the waters of how to legally hit your friends with swords, here’s where to start!
Heather Freeman:
Professor of Art in Digital Media at UNC Charlotte, and my research has focused on sharing humanities and social science scholarship on religious studies, spirituality, and ‘occulture’ with lay audiences. Heather’s last big project was the NEH-funded, PRX podcast series Magic in the United States.
Summary
“10 Things Every American Should Know About Magic.” ‘Magic’ means esoteric, occult, spiritual, and marginalized religious practices. In these last two cases, ‘magic’ is generally a pejorative, but this will be talking about the living practices and beliefs of diverse Americans throughout this country’s history, right to this present day — perhaps especially today.
Michael E. Murray:
Local Voiceover Talent. He holds a Master’s in Ethics and Applied Philosophy from UNC Charlotte, and graduated Summa Cum Laude with Departmental Honors in Art History, also from UNCC. He was a faculty Teaching Assistant as both Graduate and Undergraduate, for Philosophy and Art History and now he’s the Host and Boss of Nerd Nite Charlotte.
Summary
“Dungeons & Dragons and the Devil: The 80’s Satanic Panic.” Critical Role and Stranger Things have played no small role in D&D’s surge in mainstream popularity over the past decade, but there was a time this improvisational fantasy game was belittled as the nerdiest of nerdy hobbies. So, why was this nerdy little game targeted by some of the most powerful religious and political forces in America? And what happened? Semiotics, politics, and a little religious history thrown in the mix.