Fate, Chance and Happenstance in the Early Modern Period – Call For Papers

Fate, Chance and Happenstance in the Early Modern Period
Centre for Early Modern Studies, University of Exeter
25-26 May, 2016

Confirmed Keynotes:
Professor Steven Gunn (Oxford) and Professor Tiffany Stern (Oxford)

Postgraduate students are cordially invited to submit abstracts for papers for this year’s Centre for Early Modern Studies Postgraduate Conference. This will be taking place at the University of Exeter, on Wednesday 25 and Thursday 26 May 2016. Submissions are encouraged from masters and Ph.D students from all relevant disciplines, included but not limited to history, English, drama, history of art, music and languages. Confirmed keynote speakers are Professor Steven Gunn of Merton College, Oxford and Professor Tiffany Stern of University College, Oxford. The conference will take place in Reed Hall, a stunning Italianate mansion in the grounds of the university, with a conference dinner in the historic city centre. The broad theme is ‘Fate, chance and happenstance in the early modern period’.

Suggested topics for papers are:

  • The role played by chance in historical events in the early modern period
  • The role played by chance in the creation of early modern literature, drama and music
  • The themes of fate and chance in early modern literature, drama and music
  • Fate and chance relating to Shakespeare and/or his works
  • Fate and chance in early modern performance
  • Contemporary views on fate, chance and superstition
  • Chance meetings and their consequences, both for individuals and on a wider level

However, papers not directly related to these suggested topics but relevant to the overall theme will be positively welcomed. If you are interested in presenting a twenty minute paper, please email Imogene Dudley at id243@exeter.ac.uk with a 200 word abstract and a short biography by 5pm on Thursday 24 March, 2016. There will be some travel bursaries available via application to the committee.