Shakespeare: The Next 400 Years – Call For Papers

Elsinore Conference 2016
Shakespeare – The Next 400 Years
Kronborg Castle, Helsingør, Denmark
22-24 April, 2016

Conference Website

During his lifetime William Shakespeare was already being hailed as the greatest writer of his day, and the intervening 400 years have only increased his reputation. No other literary figure has affected world culture so profoundly, or has had such a widespread influence on other thinkers and artists. William Shakespeare is the most universally recognised, culturally iconic figure in the world. But why?

For three days in April 2016, on the 400th anniversary of his death, actors and academics, scholars and writers, historians, comic artists, game designers and film makers will be coming together from all over the world, meeting at Elsinore – ‘Hamlet’s castle’ – to discuss and debate the legacy, and the future, of Shakespeare’s work.

This conference/festival will explore two great questions: why, after 400 years, do we continue to read, study, perform, and enjoy the work of this playwright and poet, and how, in the next 400 years, will we continue to do so? Will we present Shakespeare in new ways? Will we use new technologies? New media? Will Shakespeare become a basis for further new works which use him as a launch pad, or even as raw material, or will we go back to the simplicity of his words themselves?

This historic conference truly is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, offering a chance to be part of a worldwide commemoration of the death of the writer who, ironically, more than any other, deserves the title of immortal. Participants and contributors from every corner of the globe have already signed up.

Confirmed keynote speakers include: Professor Richard Burt (USA); Professor Judith Buchanan (UK); Professor Alexa Huang (Taiwan); Professor Mahmood Karimi-Hakak (Iran)

Panels/seminars include:

  • Global Shakespeare
  • Shakespearean Rediscoveries
  • Shakespeare, Saxo and Elsinore
  • Shakespeare in Translation
  • Shakespeare and the Internet
  • Shakespeare in Manga, Comics and Graphic Novels
  • Shakespeare in Animation and Game Design
  • Shakespeare and Technology
  • Shakespeare Director’s Forum
  • Twenty Minute Shakespeares
  • Shakespeare in the World’s Classrooms

In addition there will be two seminars aimed specifically at postgraduate students:

  • Shakespeare and Gender
  • Shakespeare’s Villains

Call for papers

We invite papers, performances and provocations. Please visit the website for full details, including the forthcoming CFP: http://www.tees.ac.uk/elsinore/