Latest News
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An Ode to Spring Reading: The Shelves of Signum Part II
By Bronwyn Rivera The season of reading is in full bloom here at Signum University, and we are thrilled to present you with the second installation of the Shelves of Signum series. From hopepunk and environmental science to quests for freedom and unconventional fairytales, the following book recommendations are offered by our staff members. Some…
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A World of Pure Collaboration: a Look Inside the Signum Collaboratory
By Bronwyn Rivera Officially launched on December 9, 2023, the Signum Collaboratory is an experimental platform that allows content-makers to publish their academic and artistic creations online. Yet it’s more than an outlet into the virtual void. Members of the Collaboratory can rest assured they will receive their hard-earned dues. Signum’s Director of Commerce, Robbie…
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October Showcase in SPACE!
Saturday, October 28th on Zoom Signum’s Portals for Adult Continuing Ed have been blasting off for two years! To celebrate our one-month-no-credit modules of learning and fun, the SPACE folks present a Showcase of half-hour learning capsules in an unrecorded, FREE event open to everyone on the internet. Our Capsule sessions are 30-minute samples of…
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New Adventures in the Unexplored and Unexpected: (Re)Introducing “Literary Copernicus: The Cosmic Fiction of H.P. Lovecraft”
By Bronwyn Rivera Have you ever wondered what Cthulhu, Stranger Things, and the Elder Scrolls have in common? Or how to approach problematic authors who wrote beloved texts? Or perhaps, in an age of unrest and unpredictability, you want to know how characters cope with circumstances far beyond themselves. If so, please consider joining us…
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“Looking Upon a Familiar Sight”: Announcing Mythmoot X: Homeward Bound
By Bronwyn Rivera Sometimes, home is behind. Other times, it is just up ahead. From June 22-25, the community of Signum University welcomes you to our 10th annual speculative fiction conference, Mythmoot X: Homeward Bound. Please join us for four marvelous days of thought-provoking academic presentations, interactive discussion panels, creative workshops, and more. *New this…
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Process of Illumination: Introducing Tolkien Illustrated: Picturing the Legendarium for Summer 2023
By Bronwyn Rivera In Tolkien scholarship, the roads of literature and philology go ever on and on. This Summer 2023, we step off these well-worn paths and enter the visual realm instead. Signum University is delighted to introduce Visiting Lecturer Dr. Joel Merriner and his brand-new literature class: Tolkien Illustrated: Picturing the Legendarium. Dr. Merriner,…
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Celebrating the Love for Books: The Shelves of Signum Pt. I
By Bronwyn Rivera T’is the season of Saint Valentine’s Day. In place of chocolates and roses, Signum University offers you the key to our collective literary heart through the Shelves of Signum. In this brand-new series, we invite you to wander an ever-expanding library stuffed with titles recommended by our faculty members. Whether you seek…
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Another Age, Another Layer: “Race, Gender, and the Other in Tolkien” for Spring 2023
By Bronwyn Rivera How do we tackle the most up-to-date issues and questions in our primary age and apply them to the fictional world of Middle-earth? What do the mannerisms of Orcs tell us about otherness? In what ways was Tolkien extremely positive towards difference, and when did his era’s cultural or societal assumptions set…
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Celebrate Our Signum Community
The fun of Mythgard!The excitement of SPACE!The rigor of the Graduate School! Signum is no correspondence school or passive entertainment channel. Leading the revolution in global education, Signum University is a community. Folks who attend Mythgard productions with The Tolkien Professor engage him and one another in conversation, debate, and discovery. Preceptor passions drive the…
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Signum Academy: Promoting Highly Interactive Learning at Low Stakes for Kids and Teens
By Bronwyn Rivera At Signum Academy, we believe in providing experiences for kids and teens to enjoy themselves and explore a range of ideas in the safety and flexibility of small online classrooms led by qualified teachers. Individual students and home-school co-ops enjoy Signum Academy. The Academy hosts four different clubs, where members can participate…
Open Events
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2024.04.27 UK Moot: Saturday, April 27, 2024
Death and Immortality: The Great Escapes Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on Saturday, April 27, 2024, for UK Moot 2024. This hybrid event will take place at the Bar Convent Living Heritage Centre in York, UK. This year, UK Moot will accept proposals on the theme of “Death and…
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2024.05.04 SoCal Moot: Saturday, May 4, 2024
A New Hope: Estel and Optimism in Speculative Fiction Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on Saturday, May 4, 2024, for SoCal Moot 2024. This hybrid event will take place at the Carlsbad City Library in Carlsbad, CA, as we consider this year’s theme, “A New Hope: Estel and Optimism…
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2024.05.07 Thesis Theatre: N. Trevor Brierly
N. Trevor Brierly: Tolkien’s “Vision of Faërie” in “Smith of Wootton Major” Abstract:Tolkien’s story “Smith of Wootton Major”, written in 1965, and an accompanying essay written at the same time, provide a rich understanding of Tolkien’s “Vision of Faërie” that goes significantly beyond earlier critical works such “On Fairy-stories” and “Mythopoeia”. A close reading and…
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2024.08.31 Cascade Moot, August 31, 2024
From the Fringe: The Importance of Secondary and Tertiary Characters Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on Saturday, August 31, 2024, for Cascade Moot 2024. This hybrid event will occur in Maple Hall at the University of Washington in Seattle, WA. For our second journey to the Pacific Northwest, our…
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2024.10.05 StuttMüt, October 5, 2024
Courage: How Fantasy Helps Us Develop Bravery and Valor Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on Saturday, October 5, 2024, for StuttMüt 2024. This hybrid, English-language event will occur at the Rock Business Center in Stuttgart, Germany. For our first journey to Germany, our theme is “Courage: How Fantasy Helps…
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2024.10.19 New England Moot, October 19, 2024
Wicked Wisdom and Forbidden Knowledge Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on October 19 for New England Moot 2024. This hybrid event will occur at Studio Lab in Derry, NH. This year, we invite you to contemplate the themes of “Wicked Wisdom and Forbidden Knowledge“. Register Here for New England…
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2024.11.09 Carolina Moot: Saturday, November 9, 2024
Learning From Speculative Fiction Signum University and the Mythgard Institute invite you to join us on Saturday, November 9, 2024, for Carolina Moot 2024. This hybrid event will take place at High Point University in High Point, NC, as we consider this year’s theme, “Learning From Speculative Fiction”. Register Here for Carolina Moot We hope…