“Masculinities in the Premodern World:
Continuities, Change, and Contradictions”
13-15 November 2020 University of Toronto
Toronto, Canada
The past twenty-five years have witnessed a bourgeoning of studies on sexuality and gender in the pre-modern world. In particular, men and masculinities have received considerable attention. Building on the theoretical perspectives provided by feminism, Foucault, and cultural studies, the study of men and masculinities is increasingly theoretically inflected and sophisticated. Studies have encompassed questions pertaining to men of various social statuses, secular and ecclesiastical, as portrayed in historical, literary, philosophical, theological, and art historical sources among others.
This conference aims to locate the study of premodern men and masculinities in its current richness and complexity. Our plenary speakers will be two of the most important scholars in the area of medieval/early modern masculinities: Patricia Simons (University of Michigan) and Patricia Cullum (University of Huddersfield, UK).
Papers are invited on all areas of study across the premodern world (500 to 1650 CE), crossing Europe’s religious and linguistic diversity, and encompassing its geographical breadth and beyond. Topics might include:
concepts of virility,
patriarchy, marriage, fatherhood and procreative masculinities,
social and political perspectives,
medical and biological perceptions,
celibacy, chastity, continence,
monastic and clerical masculinity,
sexual function and dysfunction,
queer and non-binary masculinities,
typologies of premodern men,
masculinity and physical prowess; sports and athletics
depictions of masculinity in literature and the arts,
etc.
Proposals are invited for individual papers, panels, roundtables, and alternatives to traditional academic presentation models.
To submit a proposal, please include: speaker’s name and academic affiliation (or “independent scholar” as applicable); the title of the presentation; a 150-word abstract; full contact information (mailing address, telephone, email); and a one-page CV. In the case of proposals for complete sessions, this information must be provided for each presenter and the chair (if proposed).
Proposals should be emailed in Word format to both conference organizers: Prof. Jacqueline Murray at jacqueline.murray@uoguelph.ca Prof. Konrad Eisenbichler at konrad.eisenbichler@utoronto.ca
Deadline for submission: 15 November 2019