Channeling Relations in Medieval England and France – Call for Papers

Channeling Relations in Medieval England and France

Organizers: Stephanie Grace-Petinos (University of Wisconsin-Madison); Deborah McGrady (University of Virginia); Elizabeth Robertson (University of Glasgow); Sara Rychtarik (Graduate Center, CUNY)

Date: May 4, 2018

Location: CUNY Graduate Center

For medievalists, interdisciplinary work has always been a necessity, and our major annual conferences reflect this need to broaden our understanding of the dynamic and widespread time period. While medieval scholars may specialize in one area of medieval studies, they also understand that separating traditions – by culture, language, religion, geographic borders, etc. – can create a limited and narrow understanding of the Middle Ages. This is especially the case for medievalists who study medieval England and France. Although, or perhaps because, they were frequently engaged in war, these two countries had many rich literary and cultural exchanges over the course of the Middle Ages. For Middle English scholars, French literature and music are often valuable resources for the sources of the works of popular authors such as Geoffrey Chaucer, and so are often read in medieval English classes. Yet why is Chaucer not routinely read in French departments? Or, on the other side, medieval English texts, law, as well as literature, were often written in French, not English. But British literature survey courses often limit their coverage of the Anglo-French corpus to one or two lais of Marie de France.

This one-day conference offers the opportunity for scholars, whether they usually preserve or cross departmental lines in their own work, to come together with scholars from departments with whom they may not routinely discuss academic work/research/approaches. While this conference focuses on literary and cultural exchanges between England and France, we are not discounting other traditions and welcome submissions for individual papers or full panel proposals that also incorporate other perspectives, particularly non-western. 

Topics to be discussed can include, but are by no means limited to:

–       A text that belongs to both the English and French traditions

–       A text, legend or corpus of characters that exist with variations in each tradition

–       A textual theme shared by both traditions

–       A historical event that occurred in both traditions (i.e. The Hundred Years War)

–       Religious orders or religious figures prominent in both England and France

–       Historical or literary figures that travel throughout England and France

–       French texts that circulate within England; English texts that circulate within France; English and/or French texts that circulate within both England and France

This event is hosted by Pearl Kibre Medieval Study at the CUNY Graduate Center, with contributions by the Medieval Studies Certificate Program.

Please send abstracts of 250 words to pkmsconference@gmail.com by December 31, 2017.