MAA News – Academy Governance Election: Don’t Forget to Vote

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Chris

Voting in the annual MAA governance election is now open. A link to the electronic ballot was sent to all members by email on 15 October.

This one of the most important means that members have to impact both the MAA and the future of medieval studies in North America. I am very pleased to announce the names of the Medieval Academy members who have generously agreed to stand for election to office in 2019:

President: Ruth Mazo Karras (History, Trinity College Dublin)

1st-VP: Renate Blumenfeld-Kosinski (French, Univ. of Pittsburgh)

2nd-VP: Thomas E. A. Dale (Art History, Univ. of Wisconsin)

Councillors (four seats available):
Lynda Coon (History, Univ. of Arkansas)
Hussein Fancy (History, Univ. of Michigan)
Fiona Griffiths (History, Stanford Univ.)
Elizabeth Papp Kamali (Law, Harvard Law School)
Adam J. Kosto (History, Columbia Univ.)
Karl Kügle (Musicology, Univ. of Oxford/Utrecht Univ.)
Anne Latowsky (French/Latin, Univ. of South Florida)
Catherine M. Mooney (History, Boston College)

Nominating Committee (two seats available):
Jessica L. Goldberg (History, Univ. of California, Los Angeles)
Kathy Lavezzo (English Literature, Univ. of Iowa)
Ann Marie Rasmussen (German and Slavic Studies, Univ. of Waterloo)
Sif Rikhardsdottir (Comparative Literature, Univ. of Iceland)

Please note that C. Stephen Jaeger has removed his name from contention and has been replaced on the slate of Nominating Committee candidates by Jessica L. Goldberg. We are grateful to Prof. Goldberg for accepting the candidacy at such a late date.

The list of candidates with photos, vision statements, and brief biographies appears online here:

https://www.medievalacademy.org/page/2019Ballot

There are eight candidates for four openings on the Council, the governing body of the Academy. There are four candidates for two openings on the Nominating Committee, tasked with proposing candidates for the annual Council and Officers’ election. No additional candidates were submitted during the open nomination period. As a result, the slate of three Presidential Officers is presented unopposed. Additional information about MAA governance and elections can be found on our FAQ page.

Please note that voting is restricted to members of the Medieval Academy of America. You may only cast one ballot. Your ballot will be invalid if you vote for more than the allowable number of candidates indicated. The deadline for receipt of your vote is 2 January 2019.

If you would prefer a paper ballot and have not requested one in the past, please let me know.

Thank you for participating in the election.
– Lisa Fagin Davis, Executive Director

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MAA News – Renew Your Membership for 2019!

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Chris

The end of the year is fast approaching, and it is time to renew your membership in the Medieval Academy of America. You must be a member in good standing to apply for grants and fellowships given out by the Academy, to speak at the Medieval Academy Annual Meeting, or to participate in its governance.

With your help, the Academy increased its support of members in 2018, especially student, independent, and contingent scholars, through the numerous awards and fellowships offered annually. We sincerely hope that you will renew your valued membership in the Academy as we continue this work in 2019. You can easily pay your dues through the MAA website or by returning the paper form you will soon be receiving in the mail. We hope you will consider supplementing your membership by becoming a Contributing or Sustaining member or by making a gift. These membership categories, along with your donations, help subsidize lower membership dues for student, contingent, and unaffiliated medievalists. You may also wish to remember the Academy with a bequest as a member of our Legacy Society (for more information, please contact the Executive Director).

Thank you for your support. We look forward to working with you in 2019 and hope to see you at the Annual Meeting on March 7-9 in beautiful Philadelphia.

David Wallace, President
Lisa Fagin Davis, Executive Director

p.s. Please note that we no longer offer Joint Membership for members residing at the same address. If you have been a Joint Member in the past, you will need to select a different membership category for 2019 and beyond. If you share a residence with another member and wish to receive only one paper copy of Speculum, please contact us at info@themedievalacademy.org.

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MAA News – CARA Prizes: Call for Nominations

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Chris

Kindrick-CARA Award for Outstanding Service to Medieval Studies
The Robert L. Kindrick-CARA Award for Outstanding Service to Medieval Studies recognizes Medieval Academy members who have provided leadership in developing, organizing, promoting, and sponsoring medieval studies through the extensive administrative work that is so crucial to the health of medieval studies but that often goes unrecognized by the profession at large.

CARA Award for Excellence in Teaching
The CARA Award for Excellence in Teaching Medieval Studies recognizes Medieval Academy members who are outstanding teachers and who have contributed to the profession by inspiring students at the undergraduate or graduate levels or by creating innovative and influential textbooks or other materials for teaching medieval subjects.

Nominations and supporting materials must be received by Nov. 15.

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MAA News – Upcoming Grant Deadlines

Posted on November 7, 2018 by Chris

Belle Da Costa Greene Award (deadline 15 February)
Applications are now being accepted for the inaugural Belle Da Costa Greene Award supporting research by medievalists of color. The Belle Da Costa Greene Award of $2,000 will be granted annually to a medievalist of color for research and travel. The award may be used to visit archives, attend conferences, or to facilitate writing and research. The award will be granted on the basis of the quality of the proposed project, the applicant’s budgetary needs (as expressed by a submitted budget and in the project narrative), and the estimation of the ways in which the award will facilitate the applicant’s research and contribute to the field. Special consideration will be given to graduate students, emerging junior scholars, adjunct, and unaffiliated scholars. Click here for more information. Click here to make a donation in support of the Greene Award.

Olivia Remie Constable Award (deadline 15 February):
Four Olivia Remie Constable Awards of $1,500 each will be granted to emerging junior faculty, adjunct or unaffiliated scholars (broadly understood: post-doctoral, pre-tenure) for research and travel. Click here for more information.

MAA Dissertation Grants (deadline 15 February):
The nine annual Medieval Academy Dissertation Grants support advanced graduate students who are writing Ph.D. dissertations on medieval topics. The $2,000 grants help defray research expenses. Click here for more information.

Schallek Awards (deadline 15 February):
The five annual Schallek awards support graduate students conducting doctoral research in any relevant discipline dealing with late-medieval Britain (ca. 1350-1500). The $2,000 awards help defray research expenses. Click here for more information.

MAA/GSC Grant for Innovation in Community-Building and Professionalization (deadline 15 February):
The MAA/GSC Grant(s) will be awarded to an individual or graduate student group from one or more universities. The purpose of this grant is to stimulate new and innovative efforts that support pre-professionalization, encourage communication and collaboration across diverse groups of graduate students, and build communities amongst graduate student medievalists. Click here for more information.

Applicants for these and other MAA programs must be members in good standing of the Medieval Academy. Please contact the Executive Director for more information about these and other MAA programs.

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CARMEN Project Prize

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Chris

CARMEN Project Prize

Do you have a great idea for a project in Medieval Studies?

CARMEN: The Worldwide Medieval Network is pleased to announce the second CARMEN Project Prize. Building on the success of the inaugural competition in 2018, this unique award will recognise a project *idea* in any area of Medieval Studies, which has the potential to advance our understanding of the medieval period or its reception in important and/or innovative ways. Unlike conventional publication prizes, the CARMEN Project Prize seeks to identify the highest-quality academic research at the planning / development stage and to foster its future progress.

The closing date for applications is midday, 14 January, 2019. You’ll find further information, information about last year’s winners, and the short, light-touch application form at http://www.carmen-medieval.net/cz/project-prize-2019-1404041650.html

Good luck!

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Call for Papers – Remembering the Middle Ages? Reception, Identity, Politics

Posted on October 31, 2018 by Chris

Remembering the Middle Ages? Reception, Identity, Politics
Conference Dates: April 5th-6th, 2019
Abstract Deadline: January 7th, 2019

We invite submissions of abstracts for 20-minute papers to be presented at the two-day conference, “Remembering the Middle Ages? Reception, Identity, Politics,” to be held at Fischer Hall, the University of Notre Dame’s London campus, on April 5th-6th, 2019.

The conference aims to unite an international and interdisciplinary group of scholars in conversation about the uses of the “medieval” period across time. Particularly, we ask how the concept of a “cultural memory” of the Middle Ages can be useful (or not) in understanding how and why scholars, artists, audiences, and other users have resourced or imagined the Middle Ages, in any post-medieval period. We ask participants to interrogate the linguistic, material, and social networks that have been created by medieval things over time.

Papers considering the intersections of medievalisms, cultural memory, and concepts of identity are particularly welcome. Potential topic areas might include, but are not limited to: discourses of race or ethno-nationalism; medievalisms that remember a multiple and complex Middle Ages; antiquarian scholarship; visual and performance art; translation theory; heritage discourses; global remembrances of the European Middle Ages; assemblages of the European and non-European in medievalist projects; cultural memory of the Middle Ages; the politics of medievalism; periodization; intersections between nativist dialogues and medievalism; right-wing and/ or left-wing medievalisms; medievalisms that disrupt stereotypes.

We encourage researchers at all career stages to apply. Please submit 300-word abstracts and a short bio to mensley@nd.edu and francesca.allfrey@kcl.ac.uk by 7 January, 2019

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11th Annual Schoenberg Symposium

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Chris

In partnership with the Rare Book Department of the Free Library of Philadelphia, the Schoenberg Institute for Manuscript Studies (SIMS) at the University of Pennsylvania is pleased to present the 11th Annual Lawrence J. Schoenberg Symposium on Manuscript Studies in the Digital Age:

IIlluminations: Manuscript, Medium, Message

November 15–17, 2018

Manuscript illumination has often been considered in relation to the texts it accompanies, but rarely in terms of its interplay with other artistic media. Historically, however, the technique was closely associated with other forms of artistic expression and served as a crucial point of contact and transfer for visual motifs across space and time. The goal of this year’s symposium is to examine cases of intermedial exchange through the lenses of technique, style, iconography, social context, and cultural geography, while also posing broader questions about the deep connections between the craft of illumination and other arts more widely. Of special interest will be insights gained from the technical examination of works in different media, new comparisons made possible by digital technology, and the discovery of linkages once obscured by strict historiographical divisions

The program will begin Thursday evening at 5:00 pm on November 15, 2018, at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Parkway Central Library, with a keynote lecture by Professor Susie Nash of the Courtauld Institute of Art. The symposium will continue November 16th-17th at the Kislak Center of Special Collections, Rare Books, and Manuscripts at the University of Pennsylvania.

For more information on the program and to register, please go tohttp://www.library.upenn.edu/about/events/kislak/SIMS/ljs-symposium11

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Tashjian Travel Awards & Szarmach Article Prize

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Chris

Tashjian Travel Awards

For the first time this year, the Tashjian Travel Awards are open to scholars from North America without access to institutional funding . Sponsored by the Richard Rawlinson Center for Anglo-Saxon Studies and Manuscript Research, the awards are made to participants in the International Congress on Medieval Studies giving papers on topics in Anglo-Saxon studies in sponsored and special sessions. Eligibility is limited to scholars from outside North America and to scholars from North America without access to institutional funding, with preference toward emerging scholars not more than three years beyond their doctoral degree. Doctoral candidates writing their dissertations are also eligible. Award recipients are ineligible for another award until the fourth year after a successful application. There are two awards for each congress. Both awards offer a waiver of registration and room and board fees. One of these awards also carries a $500 stipend, which is presented at the congress. The application deadline is November 1.

https://www.wmich.edu/medievalcongress/awards

Szarmach Article Prize

The Richard Rawlinson Center for Anglo-Saxon Studies and Manuscript Research at Western Michigan University announces the second Paul E. Szarmach Prize, to be awarded in May 2019. It consists of an award of $500 to the author of a first article in the field of Anglo-Saxon studies published in a peer-reviewed scholarly journal that is judged by the selection committee to be of outstanding quality. Authors from any country and articles written in any language are eligible. To be eligible for the 2019 prize, the article must have appeared in a journal bearing a publication date of 2017. Nominations and self-nominations are invited from authors, editors, and readers. The deadline is November 1.

https://www.wmich.edu/medieval/research/anglo-saxon/article-prize

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Jobs for Medievalists

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Chris

JOB POSTING: ASSISTANT LIBRARIAN, Grolier Club Library, New York, NY

The Grolier Club of New York, North America’s oldest and largest society for bibliophiles and enthusiasts in the graphic arts, is seeking a full-time Assistant Librarian. Reporting to the Librarian, the Assistant Librarian supports the maintenance, development, and daily operation of the Grolier Club Library, a ca. 150,000 volume research collection dedicated to the art and history of the book.

This position is funded by a gift from the Florence Gould Foundation in honor of Mary K. Young and her dedicated service to the Grolier Club Library.

DUTIES & ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

REFERENCE AND PUBLIC SERVICES. Primary responsibility for overseeing the operation of the reading room. Answers reference queries from members and non-members. May occasionally be asked to mount library exhibitions and assist class visits to the library. Performs and oversees scanning, digital photography, and photocopying of library materials. Supports social media and outreach initiatives through regular contributions to the library’s Instagram account and longer-form posts to the library blog. 

COLLECTION MAINTENANCE. Shelves incoming books, periodical issues, and auction and dealer catalogs and updates catalog records for these holdings as necessary. Takes primary responsibility for the retrieval and replacement of material paged for researchers. Shifts library materials and identifies and processes items for off-site storage. Conducts shelf-reading and general inventory projects. Assists in maintaining the cleanliness and orderliness of the library and library materials in all areas of the Club.

PRESERVATION/CONSERVATION. Measures fragile items for enclosures. Assesses the condition of library materials in the course of daily operations and makes recommendations for preservation actions to the Librarian. Rehouses material as needed. Assists in the development and maintenance of disaster planning efforts.

CLERICAL. Sorts through daily mail and keeps catalog/periodical table neat and up-to-date. Takes Minutes at staff meetings.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

–Master’s degree in Library Science from an ALA-accredited library school or combination of education & professional library experience.

–Professional experience in a library, special collections, museum, or cultural organization.

–Proficiency in basic Microsoft office applications and automated library systems.

–Strong attention to detail.

–Excellent communication skills.

–Ability to take direction and to work independently.

–Knowledge of basic preservation and conservation standards for rare books, as well as demonstrated experience handling rare books.

–Interest in rare books and/or the antiquarian book trade.

–Ability to work in conditions where dust is frequently encountered, lift boxes weighing up to 30 lbs; push and pull loaded book carts and other library equipment and materials; and work for prolonged periods in standing, bending, and stooping positions

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

–Reading knowledge of French, German or another European language.

–Experience providing reference services to library patrons.

–Project management experience

–Coursework in rare books or special collections librarianship.

HOURS, SALARY AND BENEFITS

The Assistant Librarian is a full-time position; preferred hours are Monday-Friday 10:00-6:00.

Salary: $45,000 per year plus benefits.

HOW TO APPLY

Please submit a resume, cover letter, and a list of three professional references with contact info to Meghan Constantinou, Librarian, mconstantinou@grolierclub.org.

The preferred start date for this position is December 3, 2019.

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Frantz Fellowship in Post-Classical Studies at the Gennadius Library

Posted on October 24, 2018 by Chris

THE M. ALISON FRANTZ FELLOWSHIP IN POST-CLASSICAL STUDIES AT THE GENNADIUS LIBRARY

Deadline: January 15, 2019

The M. Alison Frantz Fellowship, formerly known as the Gennadeion Fellowship in Post-Classical Studies, was named in honor of archaeologist, Byzantinist, and photographer M. Alison Frantz (1903–1995), a scholar of the post-classical Athenian Agora whose photographs of antiquities are widely used in books on Greek culture.

Fields of study: Late Antique through Modern Greek Studies, including but not limited to the Byzantine, Frankish, Post-Byzantine, and Ottoman periods.

Eligibility: Ph.D. candidates and recent Ph.D.s (up to five years) from a U.S. or Canadian institution. Candidates should demonstrate their need to work in the Gennadius Library.

Terms: A stipend of $11,500 plus room, board, and waiver of School fees. Fellows are expected to be in residence at the School for the full academic year from early September to June 1. 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 be contributed to the Gennadius Library.

Application: Submit application form for the “M. Alison Frantz Fellowship in Post-Classical studies at the Gennadius Library,” curriculum vitae, description of the proposed project (up to 750 words), and three letters of reference online. Student applicants must submit transcripts. For more information about the application, visit the ASCSA web site at: http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/index.php/admission-membership/Graduate-and-Post-Doctoral.
Direct link to the online application:
https://ascsa.submittable.com/submit/116910/m-alison-frantz-fellowship-in-post-classical-studies-at-the-gennadius-library

Web site: www.ascsa.edu.gr or http://www.ascsa.edu.gr/index.php/admission- membership/fellowships-and-grants
E-mail: application@ascsa.org

The award will be announced by March 15.

The American School of Classical Studies at Athens does not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, sexual orientation, color, religion, ethnic origin, or disability when considering admission to any form of membership or application for employment

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