The Annual Meeting of Postgraduates in Ancient Literature (AMPAL) Conference 2011

Saturday 10^th – Sunday 11^th September 2011

Royal Holloway, University of London, Egham TW20 0EX

Theme: Power and Manipulation

Call for papers

AMPAL is a two day residential conference where postgraduate students in the field of Classics can present their research, take part in discussion, exchange ideas and meet other postgraduates and academics. It is also an ideal forum for students to present their first conference paper in a friendly and supportive environment, as well as offering peer review feedback for speakers and chairs.

The theme of the conference is “Power and Manipulation”, which can be interpreted in a variety of ways in order to encompass many different specialisations within the field of Classics. This can include consideration of the power of manipulation or the manipulation of power in Greek and Roman literature, language, politics, historiography, religion, mythology, drama, philosophy, and archaeology.

Some suggestions are given below, although we welcome other interpretations on the theme:

• Language (hidden influence or manipulation of language)
• Literature (power and authority in epic / flattery vs. praise in encomiastic literature / dominance of love in poetry)
• Rhetoric and oratory (persuasion and influence / relationship between the speaker and the audience)
• Politics (propaganda / power struggles / success or failure of powerful leaders)
• Historiography (manipulation of historical or military events)
• Archaeology (control of physical space: architecture and landscape)
• Mythology (transmission and manipulation of mythology in literature and art)
• Drama (gender power struggles / manipulative characters / power of the gods)
• Religion (control of religion as instrument of power / imperial cults / transformation of ideas of power in late antiquity and early Christianity)
• Philosophy (ethics of power / balance of power in constitutional theories)
• Reception (reception and use of ancient concepts of power)

Postgraduates and postdoctoral students from the UK and internationally are invited to participate in this conference and to offer proposals for papers of 20 minutes. Please send a title and an abstract of 300-500 words to [log in to unmask] by 1 June 2011, with “Abstract” as the email title, and include your name, level of study and academic institution. Proposals for panels of co-ordinated papers are also welcomed.

Organisers:

Christina Pouros, Giulia Brunetta, Katie East

Department of Classics and Philosophy,

Royal Holloway, University of London

Contact:

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