CFP: Conference on Medievalism

Discovered via the Studies in Medievalism blog:

Studies in Medievalism invites session and paper proposals for its annual interdisciplinary conference, October 8-11, 2009. We welcome papers that explore any topic related to the study and teaching of Medievalism, and especially those that focus on this year's theme of “Medievalism and Religion.”

This interdisciplinary conference seeks to bring together aspects of the Middle Ages with the ways artists and scholars since medieval times have imagined these eras in literature, film, music, painting, sculpture and other media, as well as in other (non-humanities) institutions. One does not have to look far to find connections between medievalism and religion. For example, in her book's Epilogue, Karen Armstrong writes, "Crusading is not a lost medieval tradition: it has survived in different forms in both Europe and the United States and we must accept that our own views are as likely to be blinkered and prejudiced as either the Arabs' or the Jews'. It is probably impossible for us to change these old crusading attitudes overnight." Points of focus might include (but are not limited to):

• Counter cultural medievalists beliefs
• Misrepresentations of medieval religion in contemporary society (including Neopaganism)
• Medievalism, religion, war and other contemporary crusades
• Medievalist contemporary religious music
• The “gothic” architecture of American churches
• Re-imaginings of important religious figures (Cuthbert, Saladin, Catherine of Siena, Maimonides, Margery Kempe)
• Travel and/or pilgrimage literature (early or modern)
• Modern historical novels (including mysteries)
• Medievalist religious works on the contemporary stage
• Shakespeare and medievalist beliefs
• Tolkien and Religion
• Religion in contemporary Arthurian works
• Medievalist religion portrayed on film, television and/or the radio
• Medievalist religion and the Internet
• Medievalist religion in electronic and/or non-electronic games
• Gender identity and sexuality, medievalism and religion

Selected papers related to the conference theme will be published in The Year’s Work in Medievalism.

Deadline: July 1, 2009

Please send session proposals to Pam Clements, along with the technology request form (available at the website). Email submissions are welcome: clements AT siena.edu.

Siena College is located near Albany in beautiful upstate New York, 2 hours north of New York City, with easy access via Albany International Airport (ALB) and by Amtrak train and auto. October is prime leaf-peeping season with an average temperature of 65 degrees. Siena College, a contemporary institution that is yet also firmly grounded in the traditions of Franciscan Catholicism, is the perfect setting for our exploration of medievalism and religion.

Pam Clements, Ph.D., Conference Chair
CLEMENTS AT siena.edu
International Conference on Medievalism
Siena College
515 Loudon Rd.
Loudonville, NY 12211-1462
518-783-2359
Fax 518-783-6548