CFP: Clothing Culture 1300-1600 University of Kent at Canterbury

[Serguei Alex. Oushakine]

CALL FOR PAPERS
30th November to 2nd December 2001

University of Kent at Canterbury 

Representations of clothing are frequent in the art and literature of 1300 - 1600, but contemporary experiences of clothing are little investigated. 

This interdisciplinary conference aims to explore ways of reconstructing the social practices of the past through investigations of the cultural significance of clothing. 

Papers are invited from a broad range of theoretical perspectives which relate to the traditional disciplines of art history, textile and costume history, cultural history (social/political/economic), anthropology and literary studies. 

Areas of investigation into process, experience and representation might include: 

      power and social status  decoration 
      order and social mobility fashion 
      ethnicity ritual and ceremony 
      emotion undress 
      social and economic relations of production and consumption symbolism and the representation of the body 
      gender display and concealment 
      disguise  physical mobility 
      buying and selling fabric and clothing stuff (shops) garments (under and over, old and new, best - worst) 
      colour proper and improper wearing 
      fabric age and clothing 
      stitching gesture 
      self and person death, marriage (life-cycle) 
      death, marriage (life-cycle) pride 
      clothing furniture dowry 
      seduction gift 

Methods of analysis might include: 

  a.. reading the tactile 
  b.. reading the spatial implications 
  c.. reconstructing the symbolic language 
  d.. from text to textile 
  e.. art and the visual language of clothing ( folds, pleats, stitching, wear, material, colour etc.) 
Synopses of c. 500 words are requested by the end of September 2001.
Proposals and other offers of participation will be welcome from scholars at all stages of research. 
It is intended that this conference will generate a publishable volume. 

For further details and correspondence email Catherine Richardson, C.T.Richardson at ukc.ac.uk, or write to: 

Dr Catherine Richardson 
Canterbury Centre for Medieval & Tudor Studies 
University of Kent at Canterbury 
Canterbury
Kent 
CT2 7NX
UK 

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