Medieval Sessions at
Northeast Modern Language Association 43rd Annual Convention
Rochester, New York
March 15-18, 2012
Deadline for abstracts Sept. 30, 2011
Please consider submitting an abstract for NeMLA 2012 in Rochester. In addition to the sessions below, the Russell Hope Robbins library at the University of Rochester is rapidly becoming one of the most acclaimed research libraries for medievalists and is one of the headquarters of the TEAMS project. The Robbins Library has recently acquired a significant stained glass and research collection as well.
Continuities in English Literature between the Norman Conquest and Reformation Too often, students of medieval English literature unnecessarily categorize Old and Middle English as completely disconnected, highlighting Beowulf and Chaucer as the exemplary markers, with little in between. This panel seeks instead to explore moments of interaction across the spectrum of earlier and later medieval English literature. Send paper abstracts to Pamela Longo (pamela.longo@uconn.edu) or Brandon Hawk (brandon.hawk@uconn.edu).
New Approaches to Old Texts: Studying Medieval and Early Modern Women and Gender This panel seeks to elicit new interpretations and approaches to studying women and gender in medieval and early modern Europe. Submissions on how to re-evaluate new or existing texts about/by/for medieval and early modern European women are especially welcome as are works that intend to use new technologies such as the internet. Please submit abstracts to Lyn Blanchfield, Department of History, SUNY Oswego, Oswego NY 13126 or lyn.blanchfield@oswego.edu.
Representing Identity and Power in Medieval and Early Modern Spain This panel will explore the construction of identity and its relationship to power in medieval and early modern Spanish literary texts. Submissions are invited that interrogate both the representation of different subject positions and their connection with the constantly shifting discourses of power that characterize the socio-cultural landscape of these periods. Send 250-300 word proposals to Ryan Prendergast, University of Rochester (pdst@mail.rochester.edu).
Teaching Medieval German Literature and Culture Share successful models of undergraduate courses that focus on medieval German topics (e.g., from Hero to Knight, medieval heroes/ heroines and villains), of courses that approach modern themes from a medieval perspective (e.g., gender studies), or that offer a major German medieval component (Crossroads of Medieval Cultures and Literatures) for crosslisted courses. Abstracts to Rosemarie Morewedge at rmorewed@binghamton.edu
The Notion of Friendship in Dante and Medieval Italian Writers The representation of friendship and its theoretical background (as found in works by Aristotle, Cicero, Augustine and others) has not yet been sufficiently probed in the field of Italian literature. This panel seeks to foster critical discussion on friendship in Dante and other medieval authors. Abstracts to Francesco Ciabattoni fc237@georgetown.edu
Using and [Re]Fusing The Bible: Revision and Parody in Medieval Britain What was the value of The Bible in medieval Britain? The study of biblical paraphrase, expansion of biblical narrative, and the creation of literary parodies of biblical material provide possibilities for understanding how cultural context shaped the uses of this text, the decentralization of political or religious power, public and private performance of devotion, and the development of notions about artistic ownership. Please submit 250-500 word abstracts about the uses of The Bible in medieval Britain to David Pecan atdavid.pecan@ncc.edu.
Representations of the Wound in French and Francophone Literature This panel seeks papers on the representation of wounds and physical injury in French/Francophone literature and film. From the Middle Ages to the present day, this topos has challenged the limits of representation. To what degree can the wound qua corporeal inscription be read as a master metaphor for text? What are its implications for our understanding of the relationship between the artwork and its audience? Please send inquiries or abstracts to Kathryn Rose (kgrose@fas.harvard.edu) and Ian Thomas Fleishman (ifleishm@fas.harvard.edu).
For more information on the Convention, visit www.nemla.org and VisitRochester.org
