Call for papers and posters

The workshop is organised by Dr Ceri Houlbrook from the University of Hertfordshire and will explore the heritage of the contemporary deposit, defined here as any tangible item placed in a public space with no obvious intention of retrieval.

The aim of the workshop will be to promote a renegotiation of the term ‘ritual litter’ and to foster a dialogue between academics (from a wide range of disciplines including history, archaeology, anthropology, folklore) researching contemporary deposits, and heritage specialists and site managers, who tackle the practical issues surrounding such depositions.

There is a perceived schism between the researcher’s approach to these objects (as ‘material culture’, ‘ritual artefacts’, ‘empirical data’), and how they are sometimes viewed and treated within the heritage sector (as ‘litter’, ‘waste’, ‘vandalism’). However, this schism is not always evident, and successful collaborations have taken place between researchers and site managers. The workshop’s primary objectives are to explore such collaborations, address problems, and exchange ideas on the management of contemporary deposits.

Proposals

Proposals of papers and posters on the material culture and heritage of any form of contemporary deposit are welcome. Researchers, students, heritage specialists, and site managers are all invited to submit proposals.

Papers should be 10 minutes in length, they should briefly introduce a site of contemporary deposition and explore any heritage or management issues surrounding it. Papers are kept short to maximise time for discussion throughout the day.

Please email proposed titles and abstracts of 150 words to [log in to unmask]

Deadline for submissions: 15 January 2017.

Competition

There are two travel grants of £125 each available for postgraduate students to attend and present their research at this workshop.

If you would like to be considered for this, please provide 300 words explaining your research interests, how you would benefit from the grant, and provide a breakdown of costs. Entries will be submitted to an independent judging panel in the University of Hertfordshire's History Group.

Email your submission, with 'Workshop Travel Grant' as the subject line, to[log in to unmask] Good luck!

For all general enquiries regarding the workshop please contact Ceri Houlbrook at the email address above.