Introduction George Parfitt’s Renaissance challenges the traditional classroom narrative. The Renaissance is not simply a golden age of rebirth. It is not just about Europe rediscovering classical learning after medieval darkness. Parfitt urges readers to see the term differently. He sees it not as a fixed period. Instead, it is a dynamic, recurring tendency. This tendency shapes—and is shaped by—our cultural anxieties and aspirations.​ Parfitt’s approach is refreshing and necessary. It is especially relevant for students and scholars...