The Symbolic Symposium is a new free online education project hosted by Clockworks Academy. We put on regular online talks for general audiences. Talks are hosted live and followed by a live Q&A, and the talk without the Q&A is then made widely available for free. You can find a playlist of previous speakers at https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuIvyyaKRiEWiFRrAQ6Ifjz9UMQIlrMwt.

We are seeking themed talks of 30-45 minutes. Talks should be pitched for an audience that will include both specialists and non-specialists. We especially welcome focus on early modern, medieval, and ancient literature, and/or focus on decolonial perspectives placing emphasis outside an English or American tradition.

Planned upcoming themes include:

October 2022: Disguise and Recognition

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Superheroes and secret identities

• Trickster characters in disguise

• Medieval knights who don't recognize each other

• Shapeshifters in literature or folklore

• Gender presentation as (not a) disguise

January 2023: Adaptation in Theory and Practice

Possible topics include, but are not limited to:

• Analysis of any one specific adaptation as an adaptation

• Comparison of a series of adaptations of the same source material

• Explanation of any specific theory of adaptation

March 2023: Revenants and the Unquiet Dead

To apply please send an abstract (max: 250) to paul@clockworksacademy.com.

There is a regularly updated CFP with upcoming topics viewable here: https://clockworksacademy.com/symposium-cfp

Spaces are limited.
A small honorarium for participation, sourced from audience donations, is available.