Call for papers (deadline November 5th, 2013)

International meeting/symposium of  The medieval animal data network

University of Louisville, Kentucky, 6th and 7th of May, 2014

(Un)Expected Animals in (Un)Expected Places in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period

The M(edieval) A(nimal) D(ata-networks) (http://mad.hypotheses.org/) is conceived as a way to bring together scholars interested in addressing the manifold ways humans have related to and depended on animals for physical and spiritual existence in Medieval and Early Modern Europe. The aim of our meeting is to stimulate academic conversations and debates between scholars and students concerned with all aspects of the animal-human relationship in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Period (400-1600 CE).

The meeting will cover multi-disciplinary information ranging from texts to image to material culture and bio archaeology. This year’s international meeting/symposium will focus on (un)expected animals in (un)expected places in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Period. Key topics might include:

• Animals used in exempla, sermons and other texts (were they original and unexpected or part of a topos?).
• Animals used in art, literature and other genres with literal or symbolic meanings that were (not) commonly used, and the reasons behind those choices.
• The presence of strange/common animals in the archaeological record.
• Objects made from unexpected animal-derived materials.
• Unusual interactions between animals and humans.

The meeting will take place on the day of the 6th and the morning of the 7th of May, 2014, at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. At this point the hosts of the event, the Medieval and Renaissance Research Group (MEDREN) of UofL, are welcoming submissions for 20 minute presentations dealing with the topic at hand. Please, send your proposed title and an abstract of 200 words with your name and institution details to medrenlouisville@gmail.com.

The DEADLINE for submissions is November 5th, 2013.