Hilary Locke, Masters Candidate, University of Adelaide

ANZAMEMS 2015 Conference Report

In amongst the blur of delayed planes, the hubbub of Brisbane city and CityCat ferry rides, the ANZAMEMS conference this year offered a range of new experiences. The tranquility of the leafy UQ campus seemed countered by the presence of so many buzzing academics, all discussing the previous session, and figuring out which panel would be best suited for the next. In-between this chaos of morning teas, lunches, and other social events, I presented two papers. Whilst I was felt it was a bit ambitious when I was writing both papers and stressing immensely, the pay-off made it particularly worthwhile.

The first paper was part of a masculinities panel alongside colleagues of my own university and new and old friends. The excitement of this session was perhaps not giving my paper, but the reception of our papers as a whole. People were intrigued about masculinity and what the speakers at our session had to say about the topic. Even though we covered several centuries and the topics appeared quite distant, the interlocking and constant themes of the male self drew the audience in with enthusiasm. The second medieval masculinities panel, which I chaired, followed the next day with similar amounts of excitement and interest. This soon became a theme of my ANZAMEMS experience: even if people were not linked by topic, theme or interest, everyone was keen to ask questions, engage and were willing to hear what you had to say in return.

By the time I came to give my second paper, I was excited. This was an altogether unusual feeling for me, as I was used to nerves and anxiety usually dominating my preparation. This paper was the most successful part of my conference. I was calmer in the delivery, more prepared for whatever questions would come my way. I recognised the faces of people who had presented in the audience, and I was pleased when they had asked me questions and was draw in by the story my paper told. Most importantly, it gave me a wider audience to sound my thesis ideas to, and I was provided with excellent feedback and suggestions.

This is what I will take away from my experience in Brisbane this year. The enthusiasm to ask, and then to listen. As a wider community of medieval and early modernist drew together, there was contentedness to be in the same place and enjoying the discussions that followed over tea, or wine, or the ones that will continue in email correspondence. This was perhaps the most successful conference experience of my postgraduate career, and shall start saving my pennies to get to the next one in Wellington.