[gothic-l] Shifting Frontiers Conference

[ruricius]

CONFERENCE REMINDER
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 










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