Richmond Professor Presents Research at International Popular Culture Conference
Author: Richmond American University London
Dr Jon Mackley, Adjunct Associate Professor at Richmond American University London, recently presented research at the annual conference of the Southwest Popular/American Culture Association (SWPACA), held in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Mackley has been an Adjunct member of staff at Richmond since 2012; his classes focus on British Fantasy Literature and Folk Horror in Literature and Film. He is also co-organiser of the November Fantasy Symposium with Professor Dom Alessio.
Mackley delivered a paper entitled Counting Grace: Sir Gawain and the Geometry of Faith, which examined the numerical structures in the fourteenth-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Drawing on manuscript evidence and the poem’s distinctive symbolism, the paper explored how patterns of numbers interact with the poem’s imagery to create a deliberate geometric structure. Mackley proposed that the poet embedded a subtle acrostic signature within the alliterative lines of the text, suggesting that numeric and poetic form operate together as a hidden authorial code.
The SWPACA conference provides an international platform for research across a wide spectrum of popular culture subjects, bringing together scholars, independent researchers, and postgraduate students. Its interdisciplinary ethos encourages dialogue between fields ranging from literature and media studies to history, folklore, and cultural criticism.
For Mackley, the visit was particularly memorable. It was only his second visit to the United States, and he noted both the dramatic landscape of New Mexico and the warm welcome he received from fellow scholars. Although he had initially wondered whether a paper on a medieval poem might feel niche at a conference focused on popular culture, he was surprised to discover many participants were already familiar with Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, leading to lively conversations throughout the event.
A revised version of this paper is currently being developed for publication.
