CALL FOR PAPERS: Medieval Mystical Theology in Dialogue with Contemporary Thought

An international conference on the occasion of the 750th anniversary of the death of Beatrice of Nazareth (1200-1268)

KU Leuven, Belgium, 30 May-2 June 2018
The annual conference of the Mystical Theology Network.

Submit your abstract

Registration will open shortly

The Institute for the Study of Spirituality and the Theology in a Postmodern Context Research Group invite abstracts for a conference that seeks to bring historical and contemporary theology into dialogue. In addition to commemorating Beatrice of Nazareth, the conference seeks to explore themes related to Beatrice’s text and context, but also to address theological issues that continue to resonate in contemporary debates. Both the historical- and contemporary-theological questions will be clustered around three main themes, but we strongly encourage interdisciplinary approaches that engage both historical and contemporary conversations.


Historical theological themes:


“Female theology” and “female mysticism”
  • Women’s medieval education and their contribution to the history of ideas and intellectual development.
  • Medieval reflections on embodiment.
  • Problematizing the idea of “women’s mysticism and theology.”

Vernacular theology and vernacular authors
  • Relationships between vernacular, monastic, and scholastic theology
  • The social and spiritual context of poverty movements in the medieval Low Countries.
  • Under-studied vernacular mystical authors and texts.

Medieval texts and sacramental theology
  • Liturgical feasts (e.g. Corpus Christi) and their connection to mystical texts (cf. Hadewijch’s Visions).
  • Devotion to the humanity of Christ in the later Middle Ages.
  • The body and/or community as a locus of spirituality and mysticism.

Contemporary theological themes:


Theology of Eros/Agape
  • The phenomenological appropriation of eros and its potential to be of use in fundamental theology.
  • Eros and questions of embodiment from a contemporary theological perspective.
  • Love and desire in contemporary thought.

Mystical consciousness and critical-theological thought
  • Mysticism and political theology.
  • Mystical consciousness and social movements and transformations; reflections on mystical theology and the “kingdom of God” (as related to Agape and Eros); social critique.
  • Engagements with critical theory, hermeneutics and hermeneutical theology.

Mysticism and sacramentality
  • Balancing the irreducible particularity of the sacraments with the universality of 'experience' or ‘consciousness’ (mystical or otherwise).
  • Interconnection and interanimation between sacramental and mystical discourse.
  • The Eucharist and mystical theology.

Call for papers deadline: 31 January 2018.


Keynote speakers:

Bernard McGinn (University of Chicago)
Amy Hollywood (Harvard University)
Carolyn Muessig (University of Bristol)
Alessandra Bartolomei Romagnoli (Pontifical Gregorian University)
Robyn Horner (Australian Catholic University)
Mark De Kesel (Radboud University, Nijmegen)

With an organizers' introduction by Lieven Boeve & Rob Faesen


Practical information:

Travelling to Leuven Accommodation

For more information, please email: John Arblaster or Derrick Witherington


CALL FOR PAPERS: Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies - Congress 2018

University of Regina / Regina, Saskatchewan, May 26, 27, and 28, 2018

The 2018 conference of the Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies / Société canadienne d’études de la Renaissance (CSRS/SCÉR) will be hosted by the University of Regina as a part of the Canadian Federation for the Humanities and Social Sciences’ annual Congress of the Humanities and Social Sciences. The theme for the CFHSS Congress 2018 is “Gathering diversities.”

The CSRS/SCÉR invites members to submit proposals that address the 2018 Congress theme in relation to the Renaissance and/or early modern period (approximately 1400-1700). For example, proposals responding to the theme of “Gathering diversities” could include topics exploring the Renaissance from a global or non-European perspective. In addition, we welcome proposals on any topic relevant to this period in a full range of disciplines, such as art history, bibliography, book history, cultural studies, digital humanities, history, literature, medicine, music, or philosophy. Cross-disciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches are particularly welcome. Proposals can be submitted in either English or French, and should fall into one of the following categories:

a) an individual proposal (maximum 300 words) for a 20-minute paper;

b) a panel of three proposed 20-minute papers that address a defined theme (to be submitted in one file listing the names and institutional affiliations of the organizer(s) and participants, the proposed title of the session, a brief description (of 100 to 300 words) of the theme, and 300-word abstracts of each of the three proposed papers);

c) a workshop or roundtable discussion (to be submitted in one file including the names and institutional affiliations of the organizer and proposed speakers, the proposed title of the session, a 300-word paragraph outlining the focus and goals of the session, as well as the anticipated contributions of all of the participants).

The deadline for submitting all of the above proposal, panel, and workshop/roundtable options is 15th January 2018. Please submit your proposal (a) or proposed session (b or c) together with a brief (100-word) bio for each participant indicating presenter or speaker’s name, institutional affiliation, position (graduate student, faculty member, independent scholar, etc.) and full contact information to both Program Co-Chairs, Dr. Anne James and Dr. Jeanne Shami, no later than 2nd February 2018.

Please note: acceptance of successful submissions will be sent out by the end of February 2018. To participate in the conference, you must be a member in good standing of the CSRS-SCÉR for the year 2018. To inquire about membership or find out more about the Society, see our website at www.csrs-scer.ca.


APPEL DE COMMUNICATIONS
SOCIÉTÉ CANADIENNE D’ÉTUDES DE LA RENAISSANCE
CONGRÈS 2018 : 26, 27 et 28 MAI 2018
UNIVERSITÉ DE RÉGINA / RÉGINA, SASKATCHEWAN

Le prochain congrès de la Société canadienne d’études de la Renaissance (SCÉR) aura lieu du 26 au 28 mai 2018, à l’Université de Régina (Régina, Saskatchewan), dans le cadre du Congrès annuel de la Fédération canadienne des sciences humaines (FCSHS). Le congrès de la Fédération a pour thème « Diversités convergentes ».

La SCÉR invite ses membres à soumettre des propositions de communication qui abordent ce thème en rapport avec la Première Modernité (1400-1700) ou tout autre sujet relatif à la Renaissance dans les disciplines qui les intéressent : littérature, histoire, philosophie, musique, histoire de l’art, histoire du livre, bibliographie, études religieuses, médecine, études culturelles, humanités numériques, etc. Par exemple, des propositions se rapportant au thème des « Diversités convergentes » pourraient traiter de sujets explorant la Renaissance dans une perspective non européenne ou d’un point de vue plus global. Les propositions de communication interdisciplinaires ou pluridisciplinaires sont aussi les bienvenues. Les communications peuvent être soumises et présentées aussi bien en anglais qu’en français et ressortir à l’une ou l’autre des trois catégories suivantes :

a) une proposition de communication individuelle de vingt minutes sur un sujet librement choisi (maximum 300 mots); b) une séance de trois communications de vingt minutes chacune sur un thème commun (à soumettre en un seul dossier incluant le nom de l’organisateur ainsi que les noms des participants et leurs affiliations institutionnelles, de même que le titre de la séance proposée, une brève description du sujet (de 100 à 300 mots), les trois propositions de communication (maximum 300 mots chacune) et l’ordre de présentation souhaité des conférenciers;

c) un atelier ou une table ronde (à soumettre en un seul dossier incluant le nom de l’organisateur ainsi que les noms des participants et leurs affiliations institutionnelles, de même que le titre de l’atelier ou de la table ronde, et un paragraphe (maximum 300 mots) décrivant le sujet et les objectifs de même que la contribution attendue de la part de chaque participant).

Veuillez noter que, cette année, la date limite pour l’envoi des propositions de communication, de séance, d’atelier ou de table ronde, est le 15 janvier 2018. Les communications étudiantes sont vivement encouragées. Merci d’envoyer vos propositions de communication (A), de séance, d’atelier ou de table ronde (B ou C) accompagnées d’une brève notice (100 mots) indiquant le nom du conférencier, son affiliation institutionnelle, son statut (étudiant au cycle supérieur, professeur, chercheur indépendant, etc.) et ses coordonnées complètes (adresse postale et adresse courriel), aux deux coresponsables du programme : Anne James et Jeanne Shami au plus tard le 2 février 2018.

Veuillez noter que l’annonce des propositions qui auront été retenues sera envoyée aux participants à la fin du mois de février 2018. Afin de participer au congrès, vous devez être un membre en règle de la SCÉR pour l’année 2018. Afin d’obtenir des renseignements relatifs à l’adhésion à la SCÉR ou pour en savoir davantage au sujet de notre Société, visitez le site internet à l’adresse électronique suivante : www.csrs-scer.ca.


Please feel free to direct any questions to Dr. Margaret Reeves

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dr. Margaret Reeves
President, Canadian Society for Renaissance Studies /
Société canadienne d'études de la Renaissance
Department of Critical Studies (English Program)
169 CCS, 1148 Research Road
University of British Columbia, Okanagan Campus
Kelowna, B.C. V1V 1V7

CALL FOR PAPERS: Scientiae: Disciplines of Knowing in the Early Modern World

16-19 May 2018

University of Minnesota, Twin Cities

Minneapolis, USA
Keynotes: Surekha Davies (Western Connecticut State University) and Vladimir Urbanek (Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic)

The Programme Committee for the 7th Annual Scientiae Conference invites submissions for individual papers or special panels on the disciplines of knowing in the early modern world (roughly 1400-1800), to be held at the University of Minnesota, 16-19 May 2018.

The major premise of the Scientiae Conference series is that knowledge during the early modern period was pre-disciplinary, involving complex mixtures of theories, practices and objects, which had yet to be separated into their modern ‘scientific’ configurations. Although centred on attempts to understand and control the natural world, Scientiae addresses natural philosophy, natural history, and the scientiae mixtae within a wide range of related fields, including but not restricted to Biblical exegesis, medicine, artisan practice and theory, logic, humanism, alchemy, magic, witchcraft, demonology, divinatory practices, astronomy, astrology, music, antiquarianism, experimentation and commerce. The conference and the sessions are interdisciplinary and intended to foster debate, one of Scientiae’s defining values.

While the Programme Committee welcomes proposals for 20-25 minute papers from any disciplinary perspective, we would like to encourage submissions that seek to examine modes of early modern knowledge formation and application that cross traditional national, geographic, linguistic or intellectual borders.

For 2018, we would also like to invite proposals for a series of special 2-hour interdisciplinary panels. These should be organised by theme and include three speakers and a commentator who treat the issue from different disciplinary perspectives.

The Program Committee welcomes sessions that present the scholarship of members at various stages of their careers. However, graduate student speakers must be advanced students who have completed coursework, examinations, and much of their dissertation research, and expect to defend their dissertations in the next two years.

Individual papers should include a 250-word abstract and a 1-page CV. Panel proposals should consists of a single 250-word description of the theme under discussion, and three 100-word outlines of how each paper will contribute to this theme, and from what discipline/angle.

Email proposals to: scientiaeminnesota [at] gmail.com

Deadline: 25 November 2017.

We will notify all contributors by 5 January.

“What do historians of mathematics do?” - Oxford Mathematical Institute, History of Mathematics Seminar

A series of talks whose aim is simply to answer the question in the title. The talks will take place at 4pm on Tuesdays of weeks 2-4 in the Andrew Wiles Building (Radcliffe Observatory Quarter Woodstock Road, Oxford) in lecture room L3. No previous knowledge is required. All are welcome.

Week 2 - 1 May 2018
“The World Is Round. Or, Is It, Really?” A Global History of Mathematics in the 17th Century Tomoko L. Kitagawa (UC Berkeley & Oxford Centre for Global History)

Week 3 – 8 May
“Perseverance and intelligence, but no genius”: Mary Somerville's theory of differences Brigitte Stenhouse (The Open University)

Week 4 – 15 May
Euclid's Elements of Geometry in Early Modern Britain Yelda Nasifoglu (History Faculty)


Further details, including abstracts can be found here.