52nd International Congress on Medieval Studies “Kalamazoo” May 11–14 2017

Subject Fields: Archaeology, Digital Humanities, European History / Studies, Medieval and Byzantine History / Studies, Environmental History / Studies

CFP: 52nd International Congress on Medieval Studies “Kalamazoo” May 11–14 2017 – two sessions: Settlement and Landscape I: technological approaches to the medieval in the modern; Settlement and Landscape II: textual approaches to the medieval in the modern.

Medieval settlement and landscape studies have combined theories and techniques from a variety of disciplines, most overtly those of history, archaeology and geography. Interdisciplinarity has to some extent become a buzzword in medieval studies, but it is an integral aspect of any successful academic study into settlements and landscapes. Our first session focusses on how archaeologists, historians, and geographers can use technology to understand the place of medieval settlements and landscapes in the modern world. These multidisciplinary approaches might include, but are not limited to, digital humanities and computer applications, such as GIS, Lidar, and 3D printing, but also scientific contributions (e.g. isotopes, palynology, limnology, and provenance analysis, to name but a few). The second session encourages a discursive space between the sciences, social sciences, and the humanities, focussing on textual approaches. Traditionally, the most interaction here has been between archaeology and history. We encourage submissions dealing with the uses of archival sources, digital scholarship, artistic works, literature, and epigraphy. We are keen to incorporate perspectives from across Europe and beyond, especially when considering the modern heritage issues presented by these settlements and landscapes. A further benefit of working with physical places and spaces is providing a means of engaging with the public. Presenters are urged to consider this positioning of the medieval within the modern and to highlight the innovative contributions their research can make to this common experience.

Please send abstracts of no more than 250 words together with a short bio and a completed Participant Information Form to session organisers Vicky McAlister vmcalister at semo.edu or Jennifer Immich immichjl at gmail.com by September 15. Please include your name, title, and affiliation on the abstract itself. All abstracts not accepted for the session will be forwarded to Congress administrators for consideration in general sessions, as per Congress regulations. Apologies for cross posting.

Contact Info: Vicky McAlister Department of History Southeast Missouri State University