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Call for Papers: Hype, Transmission and Truth in the Middle Ages

Bristol University’s Centre for Medieval Studies invites submissions for its 24th annual postgraduate conference, taking place on Friday 23rd – Saturday 24th February 2018 at the Arts Complex, 3-5 Woodland Road, Bristol, BS8 1TB.

The theme this year is ‘Hype, Transmission and Truth in the Middle Ages‘.

In light of contemporary anxieties surrounding the delineation of ‘truth’ and ‘untruth’ and the issue of ‘fake news’, this year’s conference aims to encourage reflection on and exploration of these notions through the lens of the Middle Ages. How were medieval concepts, truths, and beliefs conceived, recorded, transmitted, received and understood? How were these processes influenced by religion, society, culture, politics, economics, and the environment?

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This conference welcomes papers from scholars across the arts and humanities, and particularly encourages interdisciplinary approaches. Submissions from scholars of medievalism(s) are equally welcome. The broad nature of this year’s theme is designed to encourage creativity in interpretation and will include both explicit reflection and implicit connection.

Suggested topics include, but are not limited to:

  • Medieval ‘fake news’
  • Medieval ideas of ‘truth’ and ‘untruth’
  • The politicising of the medieval period
  • Medieval conspiracy theories
  • Memory
  • Fame, celebrity, and scandal
  • Rumour and hearsay
  • Myth, legend, and folklore
  • Trends, crazes, and fashions
  • Collective panic
  • Literary, economic, cultural, and trade networks
  • Evangelism and religious transmission
  • Global networks of transmission
  • Scribal and textual transmission
  • Exchanges between and across cultures
  • High/low cultural exchange
  • Material exchange
  • Aural/oral transmission

Prospective speakers are invited to submit abstracts of 300 words for 20-minute papers, panels, or sessions; 100 words for flash papers or poster presentations.

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We also welcome any ideas for non-standard presentations, displays, or other innovative submission types.

Abstracts and enquiries should be directed to cms-conference-[email protected]. Further information can also be found on the conference website, http://cmsconference2018.wordpress.com.

The deadline for submissions is December 1st 2017.

 

Click here to download a PDF of the conference poster

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