Comments on: Curious Facts: Surviving Hanging (Updated)

By: Danielle Alderson

Danielle Alderson — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 14:07:08 +0000

Mary Hooper has written a book on the hanging of Anne Green, called Newes from the Dead. It is beautifully written and impossible to put down!
I’m now really interested in her life e.c.t. does anyone know a site where I could find good information on her?

By: Mikhail Emelianov

Mikhail Emelianov — Wed, 12 Nov 2008 16:22:50 +0000

It’s done then. Alexei, email me – mikhailemelianov@yahoo.com – and we’ll talk about the honorarium and I’ll give you the bathroom key…

By: Shahar Ozeri

Shahar Ozeri — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:32:36 +0000

By all means. I’m glad Mikhail coaxed Alexei out of hiding. His Benjaminian-sprache will counter the monotony of our idiotic pretension and really, grandstanding!

By: Alexei

Alexei — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 18:35:06 +0000

Thanks, Misha, that’s a very kind offer! Shahar willing, I find the idea rather seductive. Let’s think about it.

I agree with you, completely, viz the renaissance of political theology. The strangest part of Schmitt’s On the Concept of the Political is his brief mention of miracles, which no one ever really talks about — at least to my knowledge.

I don’t suppose you want to translate Iampolsky’s book into English for me

By: Mikhail Emelianov

Mikhail Emelianov — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:16:33 +0000

If you feel inclined to start blogging afresh, with Shahar’s necessary nod, you’re welcome to join our merry bunch with an occasional post, no pressure.

I think the whole “political theology” angle that received much attention recently – I’m thinking of that collection by Hert de Vries, Political Theologies, and the general revival of interest in Schmitt – could use a good study of witch trials, and I am pretty sure there is a really good one out there. I’m reading a great book by Mikhail Iampolsky from NYU (unfortunately, it’s in Russian) where he basically traces all the contemporary political-theological ideas from early Middle Ages to Hobbes to Schmitt, a familiar move but done with a great virtuosity and depth…

By: Alexei

Alexei — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 05:05:30 +0000

I think the idea of a trial by ordeal is fascinating too — not least because it makes the miraculous the condition for the possibility of innocence (and thereby normalizes miracles while at the same time ‘extraordinzing’ innocence). Maybe we should get together and propose a joint course at one of them fancy interdisciplinary programs — I get dibs on the metaphysical implications!

Since you asked (very kind of you, and I appreciate it), things are moving along: through 3 countries, 2 continents, and maybe even a hemisphere, in order to re-establish a home base near friends and loved ones, and a beachhead for educational and instructional incursions. In a word, life is good. A bit busy — a great deal to write and say — but good.

I haven’t quite decided, though, what’s going on with the blogging thing. maybe it’s just a fallow period, maybe I’m less inclined to share half thought through ideas (and completely thought through ones go off to journals!). I’m obviously still reading a few choice sites, but haven’t felt the need to comment/write in awhile. we’ll see what happens.

By: Mikhail Emelianov

Mikhail Emelianov — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 04:19:27 +0000

I always found the topic fascinating, I think it would be great to teach a course on medieval law and witch trials – how’s life by the way? long time no blogging presence…

By: Alexei

Alexei — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 02:46:13 +0000

I seem to recall that there is a good book on the subject, but can’t for the life of me remember what it was called, or who the author is. So much for my memory for scholarly sources. But there are a few sources listed at the bottom of the wiki page I linked to in my previous comment. hope that helps.

By: Mikhail Emelianov

Mikhail Emelianov — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 01:52:34 +0000

Thanks Alexei, I thought of that but did not remember what it was called – I wonder if there’s a good study of the practice?

By: Alexei

Alexei — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 00:25:49 +0000

Hey Mikhail,

I think the reference to ‘divine providence’ is really an allusion to the trial by ordeal.

Interestingly, the divine providence issue seems to functin as a kind of absolute ground for the legitimacy of the scientific argument. On the one hand, the scientific evidence proves her innocent; on the other hand, since she survived the hanging, — and God has thus intervened on her behalf — the medical evidence must be right. QED.

It’s a neat piece of reasoning, if I may say so.