Friday, September 13, 2024

On The Off Chance

On the off chance any of you are interested in this conference or its sponsoring group, I pass along what I just received a few minutes ago. I met Joe Ricke at the Montreat Conference I went to a couple of years ago.


Inkling Folk Fellowship

15 September 2024


International Congress on Medieval Studies

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.


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Inkling Folk Fellowship, 412 West Klein St, Seguin, TX

1 comment:

  1. The article by Meir Y. Soloveichik in the October edition of Commentary magazine may interest you.

    ReplyDelete