Friends,
Every year at
the International Congress on Medieval Studies, we sponsor two sessions
on C. S. Lewis and the Middle Ages. This roughly means we look for
papers about Lewis's thought and work that show the influence of and
respond to medieval sources, ideas, etc. But there is some "wiggle
room," as one might expect, about how this is interpreted. Here are
proposals due for this year. One is on "chivalry" and the other is on
"grief." They have been posted and shared elsewhere, but, because the
deadline is Sept 15 (or 3 a.m. Sept 16, EST), I am sending them out
through various channels today.
Thanks,
Joe Ricke
Call for proposals
C. S. Lewis and the Middle Ages Sessions
@ 60th International Congress on Medieval Studies (Western Michigan University)
May 8-10, 2025
Session One:
"Lewis and Chivalry" We are looking for 3-4 scholarly papers that
consider this aspect of Lewis's work especially in the context of his
medieval scholarship and/or his creative medievalism.
Rationale:
In
August 1940, just weeks after the beginning of the Battle of Britain,
C. S. Lewis published an essay in Time and Tide about the medieval
concept of "chivalry." "What," he asked, "is the relevance of this ideal
to the modern world?" We propose a session which both analyzes the
concept (as Lewis understood it) and its relevance to his life and work,
as well as to our understanding and interpretations of his fiction,
poetry, literary criticism, biography, and cultural criticism. We seek
papers which interpret, apply, and/or criticize Lewisian "chivalry." We
expect, as usual, an excellent discussion within the panel and with the
larger audience.
Session Two:
"The Problem of Grief." We are looking for 3-4 scholarly papers that
consider this aspect of Lewis's work in the context of his medieval
scholarship or creative medievalism.
Rationale:
Recognized
and "lionized" for his visions of hope and happy-endings, C. S. Lewis,
the medievalist, maintained a tender sensitivity to and robust
appreciation for the reality and problem of human grieving. In essays,
both personal (like A Grief Observed) or more philosophical (like The
Problem of Pain), in literary criticism, science fiction, and in
children's fantasy, Lewis does not shy away either from death and
suffering itself or from the multi-layered human response we call grief.
This session seeks papers linking Lewis's treatment of grief with his
medievalist roots, demonstrating not just his own relevance but that of
his medieval sources.
Deadline for Submission of Proposals/Abstracts: Sunday, September 15, 2024
To submit, you
will need to use and learn to navigate the Congress portal (look for
"Sponsored and Special Sessions of Papers," find the title "C. S. Lewis
and the Middle Ages (1): Chivalry" or "C. S. Lewis and the Middle Ages
(1): Grief," and begin your submission. https://icms.confex.com/icms/2025/cfp.cgi
If you've
attended the ICMS, you know why you should do it in 2025. If you
haven't, come and find out why (Lewis, Tolkien, Dante, Aquinas, Francis,
performances, Marie de France, Beowulf, Cistercian Studies, Julian of
Norwich, Shakespeare, Chaucer, dramatic readings, medieval music, etc.).
Final afternoon highlight is the Pseudo-Society, a paper session of
three outlandish parodies of medieval scholarly presentations/bad
powerpoints. If you can't find something to interest you in every time
slot, I will buy you a coffee in the Student Union.
For questions, information, or help with the process), contact jsricke@outlook.com
Note: The sessions are live not virtual.
1 comment:
The article by Meir Y. Soloveichik in the October edition of Commentary magazine may interest you.
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