Call for Papers – Interfacing with linguistic norms, 323 BCE – 1453 CE

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Chris

Call for Papers
Interfacing with linguistic norms, 323 BCE – 1453 CE 

Organisers: Dr Chiara Monaco, Dr Ugo Mondini

This panel focuses on the use of linguistic norms in literature between Antiquity and the Middle Ages. From the idea of Hellenismos/Latinitas/ʿArabiyya until the development of the concept of ‘national language’, the promotion of language correctness and the imitation of canonical texts are elements of continuity in the endless compromise between norms and usage. At the same time, every literature has breakpoints in which canons are contested/complemented by new (literary and/or linguistic) models; consequently, the interfacing with norms changes.  

Our aim is to study what happens when literature interfaces with norms; the following research questions are the foundation of our reflection:  

  1. To what extent do norms influence usage and vice versa? Does the use comply with the norm always and in the same way, or not?  
  2. How is the terminology of norms shaped and how does it change throughout time?  
  3. What is the relationship between literature and the formulation of linguistic norms? And which role does the idea of literary canon play in the formulation of grammatical norms? 
  4. What happens to customary norms and their use in literature when the canon changes? What is the reaction from contemporary voices?  

The panel focuses on a period longer than Antiquity (323 BCE – 1453 CE) to understand if, when and how the use of norms changes throughout time. This allows making broader considerations on the topic, which are particularly helpful to understand 1) canonical texts, their transmission, and their reception(s); 2) how linguistic norms act in diachrony; 3) how norms shape language usages and vice versa; 4) how the relationship between norms and usage changes over time.  

The aim of this panel is to gather scholars working on norms, the reception of norms, the relationship between grammatical texts and literary/non-literary usages in different traditions, and literature within its historical context. We would be particularly glad to discuss case studies that relate norms from ancient or medieval sources to their origin from past models and their use, misuse, or rejection within literary texts, in a diachronic perspective; or case studies that stress breakpoints along with their consequences. The panel will also be the perfect occasion to reflect on how past and present scholarship has dealt with this challenging topic. Latin and Greek literature and language are the fields of expertise of both organisers; however, proposals on different languages and cultures of the broader area of antique and medieval Eurasia and Africa will be considered with great favour. In this case, chronological boundaries can be discussed with organisers, although the panel focuses on premodern era. 

Interested scholars are invited to submit abstracts of maximum 500 words by 20th February 2023 to the organisers (chiara.monaco@ugent.be; ugo.mondini93@gmail.com).  

We will select speakers working on different languages, epochs, and geographical areas. After the selection, we will provide the speakers with a methodological framework, which they will be asked to consider while producing their paper. This way, consistency and dialogue are assured during the panel in Coimbra.

For more details about the conference, see: https://cechfluc.wixsite.com/ccclassics2023

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TEAMS Middle English Texts Series Digital Redesign User Survey

Posted on November 28, 2022 by Chris

Dear Friends of the TEAMS Middle English Texts Series, 

On behalf of the TEAMS Middle English Texts Series, I am writing to request your help in supporting METS’s digital redesign efforts by completing the following user survey linked here as well as at the bottom of this email, along with a mobile-friendly QR code. 

Over its thirty-two years of publishing, METS has published and provided free online access to hundreds of digital editions of medieval texts, many of which would otherwise be rare, prohibitively expensive, or nonexistent as traditional print editions. These open-access editions have made it possible for instructors, students, and researchers alike to teach, learn, and advance scholarship on medieval British literature wherever they are in the world. An open-access digital collection, however, is only as accessible and useful as its website and user interface allow it to be – and over the past few years, it has become clear that both the METS website and its approach to digital editions need an update. Feedback from users like you will be pivotal in reimagining both with the needs of our diverse user base in mind. 

This user survey will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. At the end, you will have the option to indicate if you would be open to (1) sharing further thoughts on the digital redesign in a follow-up conversation and/or (2) helping with usability testing for the redesigned website in the future. 

Finally, please note that this survey will stop collecting responses on December 31, 2022, at 11:59 pm Eastern Time (UTC-5:00), so please make sure to complete the survey before this deadline.

On behalf of METS, thank you for considering this request – I look forward to your response.

Best wishes,
Mead Bowen
Ph.D. Candidate in English
Staff Editor, TEAMS Middle English Texts Series
Mellon Fellow in the Digital Humanities, 2021-2023
University of Rochester
ebowen4@ur.rochester.edu

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Call for Papers – The Seventeenth International Conference of the Taiwan Association of Classical, Medieval and Renaissance Studies (TACMRS)

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Chris

The Seventeenth International Conference of
the Taiwan Association of Classical, Medieval and Renaissance Studies (TACMRS)

20-21 October 2023
Chinese Culture University
Taipei, Taiwan

Call for Papers

Harmony and Chaos: The Dialectics of Order and Disorder

The ideas of order and disorder are universal conceptual categories found across diverse disciplines and cultures. They often emerge as a pair of opposites that help humans characterize observed phenomena, experiences, and imagination. Changes in regimes, the development of societies, and the evolution of cultural trends, for instance, are sometimes comprehended through the filter of order and disorder. Representations in arts and literature may also be examined under pairs of similar attributes, such as symmetry and asymmetry, harmony and disharmony, unity and disunity, and so forth.

It is by no means an accident that the creation of the world is often conceived as a process of bringing formlessness into order, as can be found in creation myths in various cultures. Hesiod in Theogony and Plato in Timaeus both described the world as originating from chaos, the primordial condition of disorder. In Genesis, the earth was first “without form and void” upon creation (Genesis 1.1). God then brought divisions into the world—the divisions of light and darkness, Day and Night, the Sun and the Moon, the land and the seas, and vegetation and wildlife. The formless darkness was characterized as Chaos in Milton’s Paradise Lost. The harmony of Eden—the established order created by God—crumbled after the Fall as Satan brought distrust, discord, and disgrace into the world. Moreover, the ancient Chinese divination text I Ching similarly denotes the formation of the world as a process of differentiation from the undivided mixture of original elements.

The waxing and waning of order and disorder may also be found in works involving romantic relations, spiritual struggles, or political conflicts, either as explicit metaphors or underlying structures. In Donne’s “Elegy XIII,” the poet described the emotional turmoil generated at the loss of love as falling into the darkness of “old Chaos.” Similarly, Shakespeare’s Moor in Othello associated the dissolution of love with perdition and Chaos (Othello 3.3: 90–95). In The Faerie Queene, as the Redcrosse Knight was separated from Una under the deceptive schemes of Archimago and Duessa, he fell into a state of spiritual confusion and encountered a series of chaotic perils. Only by the rescue of Arthur and the help of Una (who symbolizes truth and unity) could the knight recover and finally attain holiness. In The Tempest, having escaped the political storm in his dukedom, Prospero established a new order on the formerly uncultivated island where untamed creatures and spirits like Caliban and Ariel resided. Apart from the above more well-known instances, numerous illustrations concerning the conflicts, interactions, and syntheses of order and disorder may be explored in different fields under different disciplines.

This conference calls for research from scholars working in art history, literature, philosophy, history, geography, religious studies, cultural studies, classical studies, anthropology, social sciences, and beyond. We also welcome studies on the cultural dialogue between East and West. Topics for consideration might include (but are not limited to) the following:

  • Explorations of cosmology, creation, or world views in relation to systems and/or chaos, entropy and/or negentropy, etc.
  • Analyses on art and visualization that involves symmetry, asymmetry, or elements concerning order and/or disorder
  • Explorations of musical compositions in terms of harmony and/or cacophony
  • Examinations on issues of religious doctrines, spirituality, heresy, or moral values with regard to unity and/or anarchy, moderation and/or excess, or other aspects in close relation to order and/or disorder.
  • Critical interpretations of specific works addressing issues of concord and/or discord, discordia concors, or other related aspects

TACMRS warmly invites papers in English or Chinese that include and reach beyond the traditional chronological and disciplinary borders of Classical, Medieval, and Early Modern Studies.

Submission Guidelines

  1. Paper proposals for 20-minute presentations and panel proposals (with 3 speakers) are welcomed
  2. The deadline of submission is January 6, 2023.
  3. We accept online submissions only. To submit your proposal, please follow these steps:

Your submission will NOT be considered without completing the above two steps.

  1. All abstracts will be subject to blind reviews.
  2. Please note, presenters generally should be members of TACMRS if they reside in Taiwan. Membership application forms can be downloaded from the TACMRS website or via email upon request.

Information & Contact

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Jobs For Medievalists

Posted on November 18, 2022 by Chris

Position Available:
ANDREW W. MELLON PROFESSOR OF CLASSICAL STUDIES

Deadline: February 27, 2023
The American School of Classical Studies at Athens seeks an established scholar with extensive experience in Greece for the position of the Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Classical Studies. The incumbent is not reapplying for the position. The Mellon Professor organizes and conducts the academic program of the School in collaboration with the Director and the Assistant Director, and must be able to provide a graduate-level introduction to the sites, monuments, museums and topography of Greece as well as advise students of the School in their research. Strong ability in modern Greek is a necessity for this position. In addition, as one of the Officers of the School, the Mellon Professor participates in the operations of the School.

The appointment is for a three-year term beginning July 1, 2024, and ending June 30, 2027. The term is renewable for a second three-year term upon review by the School. Salary commensurate with rank and experience. Benefits include retirement contribution, health insurance, travel budget, and housing on campus. The deadline for application is February 27, 2023.

To apply, please upload a letter of application detailing qualifications for the position, as well as experience in Greece, research and pedagogical agendas, and a curriculum vitae here. Three letters of recommendation are required. After the online application is submitted, the recommenders will receive an automated email with instructions about how to upload their letter via the online system. Or, applicants may choose to send the request at any time by clicking the “Send Request Now” button on the online application form. The recommenders may also submit letters directly to adissinger@ascsa.org at any time.

Click here for more information.

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Jobs For Medievalists

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Chris

JEWISH STUDIES

The Department of Religion at the University of Georgia invites applications for the Ann and Jay Davis Endowed Professorship in Jewish Studies. We anticipate a start date of August 1, 2023.

This is an open‐specialty search, running from the Biblical through the medieval period. Candidates with specific research and teaching interests in Jewish texts, language(s), social questions, symbolic or intellectual culture, arts, history, or law are especially encouraged to apply.

Applicants should enjoy an international reputation in Jewish Studies with a robust program of scholarly publication. A minimum of two books, or the equivalent in substantial publications, is required. Applicants’ teaching repertoire and quality must also be commensurate with the rank of full professor in the Humanities or Social Sciences. For more information about the professor rank, see the UGA Guidelines for Appointment, Promotion, and Tenure.

The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an active research agenda in Jewish Studies, teach and mentor undergraduates, advance the curriculum and stature of the graduate program in the Department of Religion and in Jewish Studies, enhance extracurricular initiatives in Jewish Studies at UGA, and participate in service to the department and university.

Applications should include a curriculum vitae detailing the candidate’s publication and teaching records and relevant experience; a sample publication or section of a work in progress (max. 25 pp.); a cover letter, including a summary statement about pertinent scholarly and teaching accomplishments and directions of research; and the names and contact information for at least four references. Letters of reference, additional publications, and a teaching portfolio will be requested from a smaller pool of candidates at a later date. Applications should be submitted at https://www.ugajobsearch.com/postings/289022. Applications received by December 15, 2022 will receive full consideration.

Non‐citizens must be legally eligible for a visa permitting them to work in the United States. Candidates must hold a Ph.D. in Religion, Jewish Studies, or another appropriate field. The Davis Professor must be approved for tenure upon appointment before hiring.

The Franklin College of Arts and Sciences, its many units, and the University of Georgia are committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty and students and to creating a work and learning environment that is inclusive. Women, people from historically excluded groups, and people with disabilities are encouraged to apply. The University of Georgia is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ethnicity, age, genetic information, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation or protected veteran status. Persons needing accommodations or assistance with the accessibility of materials related to this search are encouraged to contact Central HR (hrweb@uga.edu).

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ASCSA Fellowship Oppurtunities To Study Excavation Material

Posted on November 14, 2022 by Chris

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens was founded in 1881 to provide American graduate students and scholars a base for their studies in the history and civilization of the Greek world. Today it is still a teaching institution, providing graduate students a unique opportunity to study firsthand the sites and monuments of Greece. The School is also a superb resource for students and senior scholars pursuing research in many fields ranging from prehistoric to modern Greece, thanks to its internationally renowned libraries, the Blegen, focusing on all aspects of Greece from its earliest prehistory to late antiquity, and the Gennadius, which concentrates on the medieval to modern Greek world, as well as the Malcolm H. Wiener Laboratory for Archaeological Sciences.

THE HARRY BIKAKIS FELLOWSHIP
Deadline: January 15, 2023

This fellowship was established by the late Lloyd E. Cotsen, former Chair of the Overseers of the Gennadius Library, to honor Harry Bikakis, attorney of the American School, who exhibited much devotion and loyalty to the School during his term from 1979 to 1995.

Eligibility: Graduate students at U.S. or Canadian institutions, or Greek graduate students, whose research subject is ancient Greek law and who need to work at ASCSA libraries; or Greek graduate students working on excavations conducted by or affiliated with the ASCSA.

Terms: Stipend of $1,875. School fees are waived. Fellowship does not include travel costs, housing, board, and other living expenses. A final report is due at the end of the award period, and the ASCSA expects that copies of all publications that result from research conducted as a Fellow of the ASCSA acknowledge the support of the ASCSA and be contributed to the relevant library of the School.

Application: Submit an online application, curriculum vitae, and a description (up to 750 words) explaining the project (or, for applicants seeking participation in fieldwork, your experience and interest in participation in the proposed ASCSA excavation). Arrange for two letters of recommendation to be submitted online.

KRESS PUBLICATION FELLOWSHIPS
Deadline: January 15, 2023

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens is pleased to announce the fourth year of a five-year program of fellowships funded by the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. The Samuel H. Kress Foundation devotes its resources to advancing the history, conservation, and enjoyment of the vast heritage of European art, architecture, and archaeology from antiquity to the early 19th century.

Eligibility: Senior scholars (Ph.D. holders) working on a publication assignment from Corinth, the Athenian Agora, Lerna, or from an affiliated project of the School are eligible to apply. Current staff of the School are not eligible.

Terms: The School awards up to three grants each year. Stipends are for a minimum of three months (up to $10,000) to a maximum of nine months (up to $30,000) to be used between May 1, 2023 and March 31, 2024. School fees, travel costs, housing, board, residence permits (if applicable), and other living expenses are to be paid out of the stipend by the recipient. Applicants are encouraged to include costs for the preparation of illustrations in their budgets. Fellowship stipend cannot be used toward salary replacement. A final report and budget (showing expenditure of all funds) are due at the end of the award period (no later than March 31, 2024), and the ASCSA expects that copies of all publications that result from research conducted as a Fellow of the ASCSA acknowledge the support of the ASCSA and be contributed to the Blegen Library or another relevant library of the School.

Application: Submit an online application; curriculum vitae; proposal (maximum of three pages, single-spaced, including project outline, explanation of goals, statement of the significance of the project, work completed to date, schedule for completion, and budget); letter of support from the appropriate excavation director; and two letters of recommendation.

Click here for more information.

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Graduate Student Committee Digital Humanities Showcase

Posted on November 10, 2022 by Chris

Graduate Student Committee Digital Humanities Showcase
1 December 2022
11am – 3:30pm Eastern

Registration link: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_QiQ2SkSPR1O2V7Fc8T_Epg

All day on Thursday, 1 December 2022, the MAA’s Graduate Student Committee will be hosting over Zoom its first-ever Digital Humanities Showcase. This event is a space for attendees to learn about the collaborative efforts of medievalists from across the globe who are incorporating technologies into their study and teaching of the medieval period. This virtual gathering will serve as a forum for scholars to learn about and celebrate achievements in the digital humanities, broadly conceived. This mini-conference will feature three sessions of 10-minute presentations that will cover topics from the crowdsourcing of manuscript digitization all the way to the visualizing and mapping of social networks in the premodern world. These sessions will be followed by a longer feature presentation by Roger L. Martínez-Dávila (Professor of History, University of Colorado-Colorado Springs), who will discuss his work on the Immersive Global Middle Ages project.

PROGRAM

11am               Welcome – Reed O’Mara (Chair, MAA Graduate Student Committee)

11:10am          Session 1: Text as Data; Chaired by: Maggie Heeschen

  1. JaShong King, “Two Birds with One Stone: Using Web Languages and Software to Integrate Digital Encoding and Analysis for Late and Post-Roman Laws”
  2. Elias Petrou, “Digitizing Medieval Greek Literature From Medieval Manuscripts to the Digital Platform”
  3. James Baillie, “The Prosopography of High Medieval Georgia”

12:10pm          10-minute break

12:20pm          MAA Digital Humanities and Multimedia Studies Committee – Elizabeth Lastra

12:25               Session 2: Digital Humanities as Public Humanities; Chaired by: Will Beattie

  1. Lea Luecking Frost, “METAscripta Community Catalog and Scholar’s Workbench: Digital Humanities in Manuscript Pedagogy”
  2. Kersti Francis, “Collaborative Digital Editing”
  3. Grace Campagna, “Crowdsourcing and Collaborative Research in the Get to Know Medieval Londoners Project”

1:20                 10-minute break

1:30-2:30        Session 3: Visualizing & Mapping Data; Chaired by: Maria Thomas

  1. Margaret K. Smith, “Submission Strategies: The Irish Submissions to Richard II, 1395”
  2. Tyler Wolford, “Foxes have their Dens: Mapping the Byzantine Alopekai Estates from the Praktikon of Adam (1073)”
  3. Alice Sullivan and Maria Alessia Rossi, “The Connected Margins of the Medieval World: Mapping Eastern Europe”

2:30-2:40        10-minute break

2:40-3:30        Feature Presentation Roger Martínez-Dávila, “The Immersive Global Middle Ages: A NEH Digital Humanities Institute Exploring the Many Faces of the Middle Ages”

3:30                 Closing Remarks – Reed O’Mara

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Celebration of New Scholarship at 2023 MAA Meeting – Call for Participation

Posted on November 8, 2022 by Chris

If you have recently seen a major research project to completion, please let us know!  The 2023 Medieval Academy meeting in Washington D.C. (February 23-26, 2023) will feature an inaugural session to celebrate “New Scholarship.”  The session will take place during the regularly scheduled MAA program and will provide an opportunity for us to learn about each other’s recent publications and to celebrate these research milestones together.  If you would like to participate in this new session, in which individual members will briefly present (ca. 5-10 mins) a major publication or publicly available project, please reach out to Fiona Griffiths (fgriffit@stanford.edu) by December 15, 2022 with an expression of interest.  All members with recently completed major projects (roughly 2021-2023) are warmly invited to participate.  Notifications will be sent out by January 15, 2023.

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Public Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Chris

Public Humanities Postdoctoral Fellowship at the University of Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute

Application Deadline: February 1, 2023

The Medieval Institute at the University of Notre Dame invites applications for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship in public humanities. The fellow will devote the majority of the fellowship time to working closely with the Institute’s staff, especially its director of undergraduate studies and engagement, in the Institute’s outreach and engagement efforts directed at local schools as well as potential donors, alumni, and undergraduate majors and minors. The fellow will also work with the institute’s Assistant Director to prepare public humanities marketing and communications materials. The remainder of the fellow’s time may be devoted to research and/or teaching.

The fellow will be provided with a workspace in the Medieval Institute, enjoy full library and computer privileges, and have access to all the Institute’s research tools.

Eligibility: Applicants must hold a Ph.D. (or equivalent) in some area of the humanistic study of the Middle Ages, or have it in hand by the beginning of the fellowship term. Applicants must have relevant experience in public engagement in the humanities, highly effective people skills, and multimedia digital literacy. Experience with digital humanities is highly desirable.

Stipend: $49,440 per year, plus benefits

Start Date: anticipated August 16, 2023 | End Date: anticipated August 15, 2025

Application procedure: Applicants should submit a letter of application that includes reflection on how this postdoctoral position would fit into their broader career goals, a current c.v., and three confidential letters of recommendation. Digital portfolios and similar supporting materials may also be uploaded for consideration. Submit applications through Interfolio at https://dossier.interfolio.com/apply/116924. Further details regarding the fellowship are available at https://medieval.nd.edu/research/grants-fellowships/#public-humanities.

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A. W. Mellon Junior Faculty Fellowship in Medieval Studies

Posted on November 7, 2022 by Chris

A. W. Mellon Junior Faculty Fellowship in Medieval Studies
at the University of Notre Dame’s Medieval Institute

Application Deadline: February 1, 2023

The Medieval Institute at the University of Notre Dame invites applicants for a one-year Mellon Postdoctoral Fellowship in Medieval Studies. This Fellowship is designed for junior faculty who currently hold a position in a North American university as an assistant professor. It is open to qualified applicants in all fields of Medieval Studies. The fellowship holder will pursue research in residence at Notre Dame’s famed Medieval Institute during the academic year (this is a nine-month position).

The intent of this Fellowship is to enable its holders to complete research and writing on a book manuscript in advance of tenure. The Fellowship carries no teaching responsibilities, but holders are expected to participate in the multidisciplinary intellectual life of the Institute and to reside in South Bend. The Fellow will be provided with a private carrel in the Medieval Institute, enjoy full library and computer privileges, and have access to all the Institute’s research tools.

In addition, towards the conclusion of their residency the Fellow’s work will be at the center of a half-day conference. Three senior scholars, chosen in cooperation with the Medieval Institute, will be invited to campus for a half-day public seminar treating the subject matter of the Fellow’s research. The senior scholars will also read and discuss a draft version of the Fellow’s work in an extended private session, a one-to-one conversation following a close reading of the draft, with a view to improving the manuscript before its submission to a press.

Eligibility: Applicants must hold a tenure-track appointment at a U.S. institution, obviously with a completed Ph.D., and should not be more than six years beyond receiving their Ph.D. at the time of application.

Stipend: $50,000 (paid directly to Fellow’s home institution).

Start Date: approximately August 22, 2023 | End Date: approximately May 11, 2024

Application procedure: Applicants should submit a letter of application (cover letter), a project proposal of no more than 2500 words, a current C.V., and three confidential letters of recommendation. Submit applications via Interfolio via https://dossier.interfolio.com/apply/116913. Further details regarding materials are available at https://medieval.nd.edu/research/grants-fellowships/#Mellon-fellowship.

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