CFP: Representations of Magic and the Occult in the Middle Ages
A Special Session at the 42nd International Congress on Medieval
Studies (Kalamazoo, MI, May 10-13, 2007)

Medieval discourse on magic and the occult can be seen to mingle
Western and Eastern cultures, religion and science, folk beliefs and
educated theories, not to mention the conventions of fiction with the
realities of mundane life. Yet, since Simon Magus and the Early
Church, notions of magic have played a role in how medieval
Christendom established boundaries between Self and Other, the sacred
and the profane (or diabolical), past and present, the authentic and
the illusory. This panel will investigate how the concept of magic was
used to negotiate identity, establish authority or dream new futures.

Some topics for consideration could include:
-magic and the Other (Jews, Muslims, colonized Irish, etc)
-gender/race/sexuality and the supernatural in medieval romance
-magic vs. miracle: licit and illicit magic
-the relationship between the theories of the occult and medieval
heresies
-witches in medieval literature
-the alchemist in medieval literature
-the charlatan
-magic and madness
-magic as metaphor for the artistic imagination
-the Templars in medieval literature
-magic as an aspect of oral or textual traditions
-magic in visual arts

Please submit one-page abstracts to the address below (including
complete contact information as required by the Congress). Papers are
to
be no more than 20 minutes and must be presented in person. The
deadline for submissions is September 15, 2006.
Submissions and inquiries may be sent to: cneufeld_at_emich.edu

Christine Neufeld, PhD.
Assistant Prof., Dept. of English
Eastern Michigan University
613D Pray-Harrold Bldg.
Ypsilanti, MI, 48197

         ==========================================================
              From the Literary Calls for Papers Mailing List
                        CFP_at_english.upenn.edu
                         Full Information at
                     http://cfp.english.upenn.edu
         or write Jennifer Higginbotham: higginbj_at_english.upenn.edu
         ==========================================================
Received on Fri Aug 04 2006 - 09:25:50 EDT