New Books in Critical Theory Wan-Chuan Kao, "White before Whiteness in the Late Middle Ages" (Manchester UP, 2024)
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Feb 28, 2025 Dr. Wan-Chuan Kao, a medievalist focused on late Middle Ages literature, delves into the nuanced concept of premodern whiteness in their upcoming book. They explore how whiteness reflects fragility and precarity, challenging the notion that it solely pertains to skin tone. The conversation unpacks the socio-economic symbolism of pearls and their commentary on class distinctions, alongside a critical view of identity and mourning in medieval texts. Kao also examines how historical contexts shape modern perceptions of race and the significance of embodiment beyond mere humanity.
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Whiteness as a Prefixual Space
- Whiteness in the Middle Ages was not a fixed concept but rather a prefixual space onto which ideologies were attached.
- Kao uses an asterisk to represent this fluidity and the operational differences in pre-modern whiteness.
Medieval White Fragility
- White fragility in the Middle Ages manifested as a reactionary self-defense mechanism.
- It involved performances of grievance and mourning to portray whiteness as delicate and vulnerable.
Pearls and Socioeconomics
- The poem "Pearl" omits the artificial whitening of pearls, reflecting socioeconomic changes.
- This erasure naturalizes wealth and links whiteness to purity and religious iconography.
