Cambridge University to Teach Students that Identities Like Anglo-Saxon are “Constructed and Contingent”

Cambridge University has announced that it will be teaching students that identities such as Anglo-Saxon are “constructed and contingent” as part of an effort to make its instruction more “anti-racist.” The Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic hopes to “dismantle the basis of myths of nationalism” and acknowledges “recent concerns over use of the term ‘Anglo-Saxon’ and its perceived connection to ethnic/racial English identity.” This move comes after the International Society of Anglo-Saxonists changed its name to the International Society for the Study of Early Medieval England in 2019, due to concerns over their association with white supremacy. However, some argue that the term Anglo-Saxon is not necessarily racist and has been used maliciously by ignorant people over the years to make racist arguments and promote a simplified or false version of early English history. The Anglo-Saxons made significant contributions to English history, including the unification of what we now know as England, the establishment of English Christianity, and the setting out of shires that were the units of local government until the late 20th century. The term “Anglo-Saxon” has been in use since the eighth century and was used by King Alfred the Great, one of the important figures in English history, who called himself the “king of the Anglo-Saxons.” The opponents of the term argue that it was used infrequently by the Anglo-Saxons, but it is unclear how often the Anglo-Saxons referred to themselves as “insular Saxons.” The move to replace the term with something more obscure has been criticized by some for being unnecessary and hostile to the field of study.