The conference Text and Textuality to be held at Durham University on 16-17 July 2020 is now inviting abstract submissions. 

Since Peisistratus’ editions of Homer, we have consistently developed new ways of remodelling and reinterpreting texts. From stemmatics to textual criticism, codicology to digital methods, the history of the book to the reception and afterlife of text, the word has consistently captured our imagination. Text is not a static entity or a solely physical object, but a dynamic representation of the human experience which exists both in and beyond our perceptions.

This conference seeks to bring together an interdisciplinary community of scholars to consider the relationship between new approaches and existing methodologies for engaging with texts. Under the broad umbrella of ‘text’, we aim to foster cross-discipline dialogue to explore the lives of texts from their conception, to their transmission, their reception and beyond.  

We can confirm that Professor Michelangelo Zaccarello from the  University of Pisa will hold the keynote lecture, and Dr. Danielle Westerhof, rare book librarian from Durham University, will hold a public lecture.

We invite title and abstract submissions of 250-300 words on subjects such as, but not restricted to:

·         Textual stemmatics and textual criticism

·         Textual transmission

·         Palaeography and codicology  

·         The afterlife of texts/their reception

·         The roles of the author and reader

·         Intermediality and the relationships between text forms

·         Representations of text

·         Oral v. written composition of text

·         History of the Book

·         The role of digitisation and the future of ‘text’

We are able to offer a small number of bursaries to those who do not have access to research funds. 

For further information please visit our website: texttextualitydurham.wordpress.com, and follow us on Twitter at: @texttextuality

Submissions must be sent to [log in to unmask] before 17:00 on Friday 20 March 2020. Thank you and we look forward to hosting you in Durham.