Confound the Time: Reception in Medieval & Early Modern Studies
January 24th-January 25th 2026
Online
Confound the Time welcomes papers that investigate the ways in which texts, objects, and images from the medieval and early modern periods re-envision and reconstruct the past or imagine and anticipate the future. We also welcome papers that explore the ways in which medieval and early modern artifacts, history, and culture are reimagined and reconstructed in later periods.
As part of our commitment to accessibility, Confound the Time will be entirely virtual and have no registration fee. Graduate students and early career scholars are especially encouraged to submit.
Topics for individual papers may include:
- Medieval and early modern reception of classical mythology/culture
- Early modern reception of medieval literature/culture
- The Pre-Raphaelites and other neo-medievalist movements
- Contemporary video games, graphic novels, television shows, and/or films with medieval or early modern settings, characters, and cultures
- Dungeons and Dragons and/or other role-playing or tabletop games
- Manuscript Studies/Book History
- Time/The Times
- Gender and Sexuality
- Nationalism and Race
Papers that address these subjects are encouraged, but any paper that centers on medieval or early modern studies will be considered.
Paper submissions should include:
- An abstract of approximately 250 words
- A 2-3 sentence third-person bio
Please send all application materials to confoundthetime@gmail.com. The deadline for all abstract submissions is October 25th, 2025. Questions can be directed to Drs. Audrey Gradzewicz (U of Wisconsin-Madison) and Audrey Saxton (Bethany College, KS).
