CFP: Romance in Medieval Britain Conference (deadline: 1 Nov 2015, 1 Feb 2016)

In the summer of 2016, the 15th Biennial Romance in Medieval Britain Conference will be hosted for the first time outside of the British Isles and Ireland. The Romance in Medieval Britain Conferences address the genre of Romance – understood broadly – in the multilingual literary landscape of the British Isles (and Ireland) during the Middle Ages. The conference will feature plenary lectures by Suzanne Akbari (Toronto) and Corinne Saunders (Durham).

Proposals for papers, complete sessions, or roundtables can be sent to Robert Rouse (robert.rouse@ubc.ca). Proposals may address any aspect of romance in medieval Britain, its engagement with continental texts and traditions, or its post-medieval afterlives. Proposals engaging with the multilingual nature of the genre are especially welcome.

There will be two rounds of deadlines for this CFP. The first will be November 1st 2015, and the second February 1st 2016. Proposals received in the first round of the CFP will be given priority.

The conference will be held on the beautiful Vancouver campus of The University of British Columbia, with campus accommodation (ranging from dorm-style rooms to hotel-style suites) available for attendees. Information about accomodation and registration will appear nearer to the time of the conference.

CFP: Anachronism and the Medieval (deadline: 28 Feb 2016)

A seminar dedicated to “Anachronism and the Medieval” is planned for the next European Society for the Study of English (ESSE) Conference, to be held from 22-26 August 2016 in Galway, Ireland. The organizers look forward to receiving proposals for papers to be presented in this seminar.

This seminar focuses on anachronism, broadly defined, and its relation to the medieval period. Often understood negatively as a computational fault or disruptive error, anachronism is closely related to archaism, presentism, and para-/pro-chronism, as well as to the notion of the preposterous (in its literal Latin sense of “before-behind”). Contributors to this seminar might reflect on broad issues of temporality or particular instances of anachronism—intentional or unintentional—in relation to medieval literary exemplars, but equally welcomed are contributions that explore anachronicity in conjunction with later (Renaissance to contemporary) engagements with the medieval past and its textual traditions.

Please send proposals of 300 words to both Yuri Cowan (yuri.cowan@ntnu.no) and Lindsay Reid (lindsay.reid@nuigalway.ie) no later than 28 February 2016. Earlier submissions would be appreciated.