International Conference at UCLA

[Ron Vroon]

UCLA's Center for  Medieval and Renaissance Studies and the Department 
of Slavic Languages and Literatures invites you to the upcoming 
conference, "The Book of Royal Degrees and Russian Historical 
Consciousness," starting Thursday, February 26, through Saturday, 
February 28, 2009.

This three-day international conference, organized by Professor Gail 
Lenhoff (Slavic Languages and Literatures, UCLA), celebrates the 
publication of a critical edition of Russia's first narrative history, 
The Book of Royal Degrees, produced in the Moscow metropolitan's 
scriptorium between 1555-1564, during the reign of Ivan the Terrible.

Invited speakers from Russia, Great Britain, France, Germany and the 
United States, representing various academic disciplines, will present 
papers on the book's treatment of Muscovite history, politics, 
theology, literary production, artistic subtexts and reception. Other 
questions to be considered include: 1) religion and governance; 2) 
preconditions for a "culture of history"; 3) ways in which pre-modern 
writers of history seek to understand, legitimize and influence the 
present; 4) the ways in which historical narratives such as The Book 
of Royal Degrees contribute to the rise of nationalism and the 
survival of absolute monarchies; and, 5) the uses of historical 
narratives in the building of a civil, democratic society.

The program is cosponsored by CMRS, the Center for European and 
Eurasian Studies, the UCLA Vice Chancellor for Research, and the UCLA 
Dean of Humanities.

Place: Royce Hall 314
Time: variable, consult the program schedule at 
http://www.cmrs.ucla.edu/programs/russian_history_2009_program.pdf
Advance Registration: Not required
Fee: None
Please contact the Center for Medieval for Medieval & Renaissance 
Studies at 310-825-1880 or cmrs at humnet.ucla.edu if you have any 
questions. 

-------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Use your web browser to search the archives, control your subscription
  options, and more.  Visit and bookmark the SEELANGS Web Interface at:
                    http://seelangs.home.comcast.net/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------