The Development and Significance of the International Anchoritic Society

The International Anchoritic Society (IAS) celebrated its twentieth year in 2023. Despite its name, the IAS studies all forms of medieval religious reclusion, not just the titular anchorites, and not just within the Christian tradition. Starting in 1998, independently organized sessions at Kalamazoo gradually coalesced into a formal organization, recognized officially in 2003, that has always been inclusive and supportive of forward-thinking scholarship, with many members representing the queer community and medievalists of color.