Literature and Learning Conference, c.1120 – 1189

University of St Andrews

7^th – 9^th June 2013

The Literature and Learning c.1120 - 1189 conference aims to provide a platform for inter-disciplinary discussion and debate on the intellectual activity taking place in mid twelfth-century Europe. This has traditionally been viewed as a time of introspection in the fields of literature and learning. In particular from an English perspective, this has in the past been viewed as a period of anarchy, and little attention has been paid to development in intellectual life.

We wish to create the opportunity to explore a number of themes, including, but not limited to, the development of the use of the vernacular; historical writings and their audience, for example chronicles, short histories and poetry; the expansion of law; provision of education in the Schools; peregrinations of scholars and therefore the dissemination of knowledge and ideas across Europe; and the changing cultural climate in the years c.1130 to 1160.

Call for Papers

We hope the conference will provide the opportunity to create a nexus of scholars and enable the sharing of ideas.  By encouraging attendance of postgraduates, early career academics and established academics from Britain, Europe and further afield, we hope to re-evaluate the traditional view of the period.

Topics may include, but are not limited to:

• historical writings and their audience, for example chronicles, short histories and poetry;
• development of the use of the vernacular;
• palaeographical development;
• the illustration of manuscripts
• the expansion of law;
• provision of education in the Schools;
• peregrinations of scholars and the dissemination of knowledge and ideas across Europe;
• the arts, for example architecture, sculpture
• re-evaluation of intellectual contribution of the period;
• the changing cultural climate in the years c.1120 to 1189.

Please send an abstract of your 20 min. paper (max. 300 words) by 28 February 2013 to the organisers, Jane Edwards and Maxine Esser at litlearn@st-andrews.ac.uk

Thank you to those of you who have already submitted extracts, your work is under consideration.

If you have any questions or queries please do not hesitate to contact the organisers.