William Morris and Material Culture

deadline for submissions: 
March 15, 2025
full name / name of organization: 
Jude V. Nixon/Salem State University
contact email: 

For MLA in Toronto (January 8-11, 2026), we welcome contributions on Morris, his associates, and their influence in relation to material culture: the Arts and Crafts movement, the portrayal of objects and environments in literature, and the meanings ascribed to “things.” In addition to seeking new approaches to the work of Morris and his circle in the book arts, stained glass, textiles, architecture, and landscape design, we seek reevaluations of materiality and concrete symbolism within Pre-Raphaelite writings more broadly as reflective of beliefs about identity, permanence, and change. Contributions on Morrisian and Arts and Crafts-related Canadian material culture are especially welcome. Please send abstracts and a brief c. v. by March 15th to jnixon@salemstate.edu and florence-boos@uiowa.edu.