Villa I Tatti Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies – 2014 Essay Prize / Fellowships

The Villa I Tatti Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies has just published the rules to apply for a prize for the best essay published in 2014. The application form is now live.

The Villa I Tatti Harvard Center for Italian Renaissance Studies has changed the eligibility rules. For the first time, advanced PhD students can apply, and the new deadline is February 14 2015.
Here is the link to the application form: https://itatti.slideroom.com/#/Login and to the webpage with more information: http://itatti.harvard.edu/research/grants/best-essay-junior-scholar-prize

There are also six types of VIT Fellowships, and all applications are now live. The list also includes a new Fellowship (Tobey) and another Fellowship in its second year (VIT-RCAC). All are listed on the VIT homepage: http://itatti.harvard.edu. Application for all is via Slideroom: https://itatti.slideroom.com/#/Login

Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms: Transformations and Conjunctures from Antiquity to the Modern Day – Call For Papers

Heroes – Heroizations – Heroisms
Transformations and Conjunctures from Antiquity to the Modern Day
Freiburg, Germany
19–20 November, 2015

The discussion in history and the cultural sciences usually views heroic figures and their deeds as manifestations of human autonomy and agency. The planned conference confronts this viewpoint with the question of how the heroic is intertwined with material objects across various epochs and cultures. The goal is to gain a new perspective on assumptions concerning heroic agency and inquire into the relevance of current theoretical approaches (such as actor network theory, assemblage theory, new materialism) for discussions on the heroic as well as on the challenge the heroic presents for the material turn.

By virtue of their physicality, heroic figures themselves have a material dimension that influences their actions. But the capacity for heroic agency is also linked to the world of things and determined in a positive and a negative sense by artefacts and other objects, technologies, and media as well as their structures. The basic thesis of the conference is that the capacity for heroic agency manifests itself in charged assemblages of human and nonhuman protagonists, in the complex interactions between heroic figures and the influence of things they make use of, take action against, or even fuse with: from Hercules’ club to “machine heroes.” The conference invites papers focused on history, society, aesthetics, and the media that explore the following central aspects of this premise:

1) Things as conditions, extensions, and potentialisations of heroic agency: How dependent are heroic figures on their material attributes (weapons, armour, other implements)? Are things what make the hero into a hero in the first place? What material attributes are associated with the charisma of heroic figures? How and under what conditions do things and technologies serve to extend or augment the capacity for heroic agency? When and how do such extensions become catalysts for characterising the heroic? Is it possible to make out historical trends for such processes?

2) Things as resistance to and limitation of heroic agency: Under what circumstances are the possibilities of heroic agency limited by material circumstances? What natural objects or artefacts must heroes clash with to prove their exceptional abilities? What does it mean when heroes are confronted with the agency of artefacts or natural objects? How do technological and scientific innovations affect the possibilities of heroic agency (e.g., weapons of mass destruction or surveillance technologies that limit autonomous agency)? Which technologies tend to promote individual heroism and which collective heroism? Under what social or political conditions did or does this happen? Can heroism be paid for or rewarded by material means?

3) Things as modifications, optimisations, or substitutions of the hero’s body: How does the materiality of the hero’s own body limit his or her capacity for agency, and how is it possible to compensate for this limitation through modification of the hero’s body? How far do imagination and reality go in this respect? When and with what consequences for our understanding of the heroic does the body of the hero finally itself become a thing (machine heroes, cyborgisation) and at what point is the hero substituted entirely by things (drones instead of soldiers)?

4) Things as heroes: Can nonhuman agency be heroised or become the hero’s antagonist? Under what circumstances and with what intentions are things themselves heroised in reality or in the imagination?

The conference will be held in English and German (with translations).

Please send your abstract of up to 300 words by 15 November 2014 to info@sfb948.uni-freiburg.de.

Lecturer In English 1550-1750 – Call For Applications

Keele University – School Of Humanities
Lecturer In English 1550-1750

Salary: £33,242 Grade 7a, p.a.
Hours: Full Time
Contract: Permanent
Job Ref: AC14/29
Closes: 22 October 2014

We are seeking to appoint a Lecturer with research interests in literature of the period 1550-1750, who will join a successful and established group of researchers and teachers. The appointment will cover teaching responsibilities focused in the early modern period, but would be expected to contribute to a range of undergraduate modules. The ability to teach poetry would be a particular advantage. The ability to contribute to American literature modules would also be an advantage. We welcome applications that show an interest in feminist, queer, and postcolonial methodologies. S/he will contribute to the Faculty’s submission to the next Research Excellence Framework.

Informal enquiries may be addressed to: Dr James Peacock, Programme Director in English and American Literature, email: j.h.peacock@keele.ac.uk

For full post details and to apply, please visit: http://tinyurl.com/AC14-29

New Perspectives on Gerald of Wales: Texts and Contexts – Call For Papers

New Perspectives on Gerald of Wales: Texts and Contexts
Harvard University
10-11 April, 2015

Gerald of Wales, also known as Giraldus Cambrensis or Gerald de Barri, is one of the most widely referenced authors of the twelfth century, and an important source of information for life in the insular medieval world. Much of his work, however, remains understudied, with scholarly focus usually limited to his works on Ireland and Wales, while his religious and other writings remain almost untouched. Recent scholarship on the complete manuscripts of his works by Catherine Rooney at the University of Cambridge, however, as well as recent studies on his ethnographic writings and the vernacular transmission of his work, has opened up new possibilities and renewed interest in his life and writings, including several forthcoming new editions. This conference seeks to bring together scholars of Gerald of Wales from around the world, considering this remarkable writer in his own right, both in the context of the twelfth century and throughout the later Middle Ages, stimulating new dialogue and allowing a platform for new work in the future.

This conference invites papers on any aspect of Gerald’s writing, especially welcoming new approaches to his religious writings; the transmission of his work in manuscript, including the construction of stemma; his relationship to other writers of the twelfth century, whether scholastic, historical or otherwise; his relationship with the Angevins; and the legacy of his reception in vernacular languages.

The conference will be hosted by Harvard University’s Department of Celtic Languages and Literatures and the Standing Committee on Medieval Studies. We are pleased to announce that our plenary addresses will be given by Robert Bartlett (University of St Andrews) and Huw Pryce (Bangor University). Potential presenters should submit an abstract of no more than 250 words to harvardgerald@gmail.com by 31 October 2014. Presentations should be no more than 20 minutes in length.

English Broadside Ballad Archive

The University of California’s English Broadside Ballad Archive is a fantastic project, with a dedicated team making broadsides available to everyone.

The project provides high-quality ballad sheet facsimiles of the ballads as well as facsimile transcriptions (which preserve the ballad’s original ornament while transcribing its unfamiliar typeface into easily readable modern print). In addition, they supply recordings of the ballads whenever a tune is extant, extensive cataloguing of the ballads, including cataloguing of their illustrations or woodcut impressions, TEI/XML and MARC records, and both basic and advanced search functions that allow readers easily to find collections or individual ballads as well as their constituent parts or makers by a variety of means. They also offer background essays on the various ballad collections included in EBBA and on ballad culture generally as well as other helpful ballad resources.

For more information, visit the English Broadside Ballad Archive website: http://ebba.english.ucsb.edu.

University of Auckland: Funded MA Opportunities – “Shakespeare’s Theatre Games”

The University of Auckland, School of Humanities
Two MA scholarships in Drama 2015

Shakespeare’s Theatre Games
Supervisor: Prof. Tom Bishop

Seeking applicants for TWO (2) MA scholarships in Drama in 2015 on some topic related to early modern (1500-1642) dramatic performance practice.

Applicants will work on researching and exploring the work of early modern performers, producing a research portfolio of written and performance work to be decided in consultation. The project will include active performance and a full-production programme working on early modern drama both solo and with other students. Choice of performed work will be made in consultation. Possibilities for written work include:

  • the history of some aspect of early modern English performance
  • clowning and comic skills in sixteenth century English drama
  • the history of a key individual performer or company in the early modern English theatre

Applicants are strongly encouraged to contact the supervisor in advance of the deadline to discuss their proposed research.

The scholarships cover:

  • fees at the University of Auckland for full-time enrolment in the MA in Drama
  • a tax-free stipend totalling $16,000 for the year (to be paid out in monthly intervals across the period of enrolment)
  • practical training and production work with Dr. Ira Seidenstein, world-renowned clown teacher and mentor.

Applications are due by email to Tom Bishop (t.bishop@auckland.ac.nz) no later than 30 November 2014. The successful candidates will be notified by 7 December 2014. The successful candidate will have until 14 December to take up the scholarship offer and must be fully enrolled in the MA programme in Drama at the University of Auckland no later than 1 March, 2015.

Applications must include the following:

  1. A copy of the applicant’s official academic record (to be verified by the University of Auckland once the application is successful)
  2. A letter applying for the place including a description of areas of interest and experience and plans for research and performance
  3. A letter of reference in support of the application, sent confidentially to the supervisor by the referee (by post or email)

Applicants should note the following:

  1. Applications will be assessed on the candidate’s academic record, experience with drama and research potential, and the quality of the referee report. The supervisor may request an interview with applicants by Skype, telephone or in person
  2. Applicants may receive the scholarship as soon as they are fully enrolled in the MA programme at the University of Auckland. They are expected to be resident in Auckland for the duration of their enrolment, aside from any agreed periods of research travel.
  3. The scholarship is offered for a period of one year. Applicants are expected to have completed within this period. If additional time is required, the applicant will have to bear any additional costs
  4. In order to take up the offer, the successful applicant must meet all requirements for admission into an MA in Drama at the University of Auckland. The scholarship will not be paid out until the successful applicant is fully enrolled in the MA
  5. To remain eligible for the scholarship, the successful applicant must fulfil all the requirements of on-going enrolment in an MA in Drama at the University of Auckland. The scholarship may be terminated if the applicant does not make satisfactory progress
  6. As per University of Auckland policy, the amount of additional work the applicant may undertake either inside or outside the University shall not exceed a total of 500 hours in the scholarship year
  7. The scholarship cannot be held concurrently with any other scholarship either from within or outside the University of Auckland
  8. The scholarship may be terminated if the applicant fails to meet the above conditions.

For further information, please contact:

Tom Bishop
Email: t.bishop@auckland.ac.nz
Phone: +64 9 373 7599 ext 87841.

University of Sydney: Lecturer in English (Medieval Literature and Language)

University of Sydney, School of Letters, Art and Media, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
Lecturer in English
Reference No. 1712/0814

Opportunity for a scholar with expertise in medieval literature and/or language
Full-time, fixed-term for 4 years, remuneration package: $110K – $131K p.a. (including salary, leave loading and up to 17% superannuation)

Applicants for this position will need to have:

  • a PhD in an area of Medieval literature and/or language
  • ability to teach Old English language and literature, and Middle English literature. Ability to teach Old Norse may also be desirable
  • teaching experience at tertiary level
  • an established research profile and detailed and achievable research plans
  • academic administration skills
  • excellent teamwork and communication skills.

Closing Date for Applications: 19 October 2014

For full information and to apply, please visit this link.

Poly-Olbion And The Writing Of Britain – Call For Papers

Poly-Olbion And The Writing Of Britain
Royal Geographical Society, London
10-11 September, 2015

Confirmed speakers include Alison Chapman, Andrew Hadfield, Bernhard Klein, Sara Trevisan, and Angus Vine. The conference will also feature presentations by the Poly-Olbion Project Team: Andrew McRae, Philip Schwyzer, Daniel Cattell, and Sjoerd Levelt.

Hosted by the Poly-Olbion Project, the conference will explore Michael Drayton’s Poly-Olbion within the wider context of early modern British discourses of space, place, nationhood, and regional identity. The conference will coincide with the opening of a major exhibition and series of public-facing events devoted to Poly-Olbion, derived from the AHRC-funded project and the associated HLF-funded ‘Children’s Poly-Olbion’. Papers dealing with aspects of Michael Drayton’s poem, John Selden’s commentary, William Hole’s maps, or the wider context of chorography and cartography in early modern Britain will be welcome. Please send abstracts or full papers to Andrew McRae (a.mcrae@exeter.ac.uk) and Philip Schwyzer (p.a.schwyzer@exeter.ac.uk) by 5 January 2015.

Catastrophe, Gender and Urban Experience, 1648–1920 – Call For Papers

Catastrophe, Gender and Urban Experience, 1648–1920

Editors: Deborah Simonton and Hannu Salmi

The history of catastrophes is an emerging field of research. Its interests range from natural and environmental disasters to social, industrial and technological accidents, from local hazards to global threats with a plethora of cultural ramifications. This volume concentrates on the shift from premodern to modern, from the perspective of the increasing presence of catastrophes in European imagination and everyday life. In 1820, the Brockhaus encyclopaedia in Germany defined a catastrophe as “a particularly decisive change, a surprising turn that changes the course of events.” Catastrophe had been a concept of drama theory since classical antiquity. It referred to the final resolution of a narrative. In tragedy, this happened often with sinister consequences. It seems that the notion ‘catastrophe’ became used outside drama theory from the seventeenth century onwards, and it became to be employed in connection to a disaster or a fatal turn of events in the lives of an individual or a community. Perhaps an element of dramatic theory remained through the ways in which emotions, fear and pity, could be attached with drastic events.

This book aims at addressing the history of catastrophes in Europe during the seventeenth, eighteenth and nineteenth centuries especially from the urban point of view. How disaster changed urban experience, and how urban communities conceived, adapted to, and were transformed by catastrophes, both natural and human-made. How was gender involved in the events and cultural corollaries around catastrophes, and how gendered practices were negotiated during and in the aftermath of disastrous incidents in European towns and cities. The book will be the fifth to emerge from the Gender in the European Town Network.

We are seeking additional chapters and especially would welcome proposals that fall within this description, especially examining British or Southern European towns, but all catastrophes in any European town will be considered. The deadline for proposals is 1 October 2014, and we anticipate publishing in late 2015/early 2016. Please feel free to contact either of us with regard to ideas or questions you may have prior to submitting a proposal.

Third Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies – Call For Papers

Third Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Saint Louis University, Saint Louis, Missouri
June 17-19, 2015

Symposium Website

The Third Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies is a convenient summer venue in North America for scholars to present papers,  organize sessions, participate in roundtables, and engage in interdisciplinary discussion. The goal of the Symposium is to promote serious scholarly investigation into all topics and in all disciplines of medieval and early modern studies.

The plenary speakers for this year will be Kenneth Pennington, of Catholic University of America, and Ingrid Rowland, of the University of Notre Dame.

The Symposium is held annually on the beautiful midtown campus of Saint Louis University. On campus housing options include affordable, air-conditioned apartments as well as a luxurious boutique hotel. Inexpensive meal plans are also available, although there is a wealth of restaurants, bars, and cultural venues within easy walking distance of campus.

While attending the Symposium participants are free to use the Vatican Film Library, the Rare Book and Manuscripts Collection, and the general collection at Saint Louis University’s Pius XII Memorial Library.

The Third Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies invites proposals for papers, complete sessions, and roundtables. Any topics regarding the scholarly investigation of the medieval and early modern world are welcome. Papers are normally twenty minutes each and sessions are scheduled for ninety minutes. Scholarly organizations are especially encouraged to sponsor proposals for complete sessions.

The deadline for all submissions is December 31, 2014. Decisions will be made
in January and the final program will be published in February.

For more information or to submit your proposal online go to: http://smrs.slu.edu