[gothic-l] Barbarians Conference Announcement

[RALPH MATHISEN]

SHIFTING FRONTIERS VI
The Sixth Biennial
SHIFTING FRONTIERS IN LATE ANTIQUITY CONFERENCE
"Romans, Barbarians, and the Transformation of the Roman World"
University of Illinois – Urbana/Champaign
17-20 March 2005
The Society for Late Antiquity announces that the Sixth biennial Conference
on Shifting Frontiers in Late Antiquity will be held at the University of
Illinois – Urbana/Champaign, March 17-20, 2005 on the topic of "Romans,
Barbarians, and the Transformation of the Roman World" [ca. 200 - 700 AD].
Recent years have seen an explosion of symposia, conferences, and
scholarship dealing with new ways of looking at interactions between Romans
and barbarians and at the fate of the “Roman World” during the fourth
through the seventh centuries AD. Old, established views have been
challenged by newer models of cultural interaction, ethnogenesis, and the
creation, modification, and evolution of barbarian and Roman identity. All
too often, however, methodological, disciplinary, and even political lines
have been drawn that inhibit a true interchange of ideas that might lead to
a reconciliation between some of the different schools of thought.
Adherents of this or that thesis sometimes do not even attend the same
conferences.
This conference will provide a forum for the discussion of the most
up-to-date research and thought on the fate of the Roman world in the
context of Roman and barbarian interactions. As in the past, we will be
particularly concerned to bring together scholars who represent different
methodological, disciplinary, geographical, and chronological perspectives.
Possible contributions might deal with topics related to (1) The
creation/evolution of barbarian and/or Roman identity; (2) The nature of the
interaction between the Roman and barbarian cultural worlds (e.g. language,
literature, religion, costume, material culture); (3) The interpretation of
the evidence of both literature and material culture; (4) Issues of
continuity/change with regard to social, political, and religious
institutions; (5) the historiography of perceptions of Romans and barbarians
and its significance for the modern world; or (6) Theoretical models that
help to interpret the nature of barbarian-Roman interactions. New approaches
that perhaps are not subsumed under any of these topics, or that incorporate
several of them at the same time, are most welcome. We would be particularly
happy to receive proposals from persons working in fields such as
linguistics, physical anthropology, and art history, which have not yet been
heard from very much in the context of the current debates and discussions.
Proposals should be clearly related to the theme of the conference.
Proposals should clearly state both the problem being discussed and the
nature of the new discoveries, insights, or conclusions that will be
presented. Proposals that are clearly analytical will be preferred over
proposals that are primarily descriptive. It is expected that proposals will
relate to new work or discoveries that have not been previously presented at
any conference. Abstracts of not more than 500 words for 20-minute
presentations may be submitted via e-mail to Prof. Ralph Mathisen,
ralphwm at uiuc.edu (Department of History, Univ. of Illinois –
Urbana/Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA). Deadline for submission of
abstracts is November 1, 2004. Please note that there is no travel funding
available for participants, and that the submission of an abstract carries
with it a commitment to attend the conference should the abstract be
accepted.

For other matters relating to the conference, contact Prof. Danuta Shanzer,
shanzer at uiuc.edu (Department of Classics, Univ. of Illinois –
Urbana/Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA).
Conference Schedule:
November 1, 2004 	Abstracts due
November 15, 2004 	Program set and presenters notified
January 15, 2005 	Pre-registration begins
March 17-20, 2005 	Conference assembles





------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~-->
Yahoo! Domains - Claim yours for only $14.70
http://us.click.yahoo.com/Z1wmxD/DREIAA/yQLSAA/wWMplB/TM
--------------------------------------------------------------------~->

You are a member of the Gothic-L list.  To unsubscribe, send a blank email to <gothic-l-unsubscribe at egroups.com>.
Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
     http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gothic-l/

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
     gothic-l-unsubscribe at yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
     http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/