(Apologies
for Crossposting)
Special
Sessions: Sicily and Its Neighbors, I and II
48th International Congress on Medieval Studies
May 9 - 12, 2013
Western Michigan University
As
a nexus of civilizations, the island of Sicily was in contact
with numerous
European and African powers. As such, its past was inextricably
intertwined
with the history of numerous lands. The 48th
International Congress
will include two (2) sessions titled “Sicily and its Neighbors”
intended to
give scholars of various backgrounds and disciplines an
opportunity to share
ideas about how Sicily’s history influenced – or was influenced
by – the
various civilizations with which it was in contact. In other
words, the
sessions will provide scholars with an opportunity to highlight
connections
between the island and the wider medieval world. Indeed, the
title is
intentionally broad in the hopes that the CFP will ferret out
submissions from
a wide range of scholars.
Possible
topics include Sicily’s relations with the Byzantine Empire and
the Islamic
world. Papers on the island’s relations with western powers are
also welcome.
Topics here might include its role in the early Spanish
Reconquista and its
later position as a possession of the Crown of Aragon. Other
possibilities
include Sicily’s relations with the Holy Roman Empire, its
interactions with
Franco-Norman lands, its connections to the Plantagenets, its
influence on
papal politics, and the role it played (and at times did not
play) in the
Crusades. There are many possibilities.
Abstracts
of 200 - 300 words and a Participant Information
Form (PIF) should be forwarded no later than September 15
(the PIF is available at http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/congress/submissions/index.html#Paper).
Both
should be directed to:
Dawn Marie Hayes
Department of History
Montclair State University
426 Dickson Hall
Montclair, New Jersey 07043
E-Mail: [log in to unmask]
Fax:
973-655-3159