The following two calls have reached me indiriectly via H-NET, so
apologies for any cross-postings:

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Conference: Clothing Culture 1300-1600
Location: United Kingdom
Call for Papers Deadline: 2001-09-30
Date Submitted: 2001-06-13

Announcement ID: 127870

An interdisciplinary conference for scholars at all stages of research.
30th November to 2nd December 2001
University of Kent at Canterbury

Representations of clothing are frequent in the art and literature of
1300 – 1600, but contemporary experiences of clothing are little
investigated.
This interdisciplinary conference aims to explore ways of reconstructing
the social practices of the past through investigations of the cultural
significance of clothing.

Papers are invited from a broad range of theoretical perspectives which
relate to the traditional disciplines of art history, textile and
costume history, cultural history (social/political/economic),
anthropology and literary studies. Synopses of c. 500 words are
requested by the end of September 2001. Proposals and other offers of
participation will be welcome from scholars at all stages of research.
It is intended that this conference will generate a publishable volume.

Areas of investigation into process, experience and representation might
include:

* power and social status*  * order and social mobility*  * ethnicity*
* emotion*  * disguise*  * gender*  * social and economic relations of
production and consumption*  * buying and selling fabric and clothing
stuff (shops)*  * colour*  * fabric*  * stitching*  * decoration*  *
fashion*  * ritual and ceremony*  * garments (under and over, old and
new, best and worst)*  * symbolism and the representation of the body*
* display and concealment*  * physical mobility*  * undress*  * proper
and improper wearing*  * age and clothing*  * gesture*  * life-cycle
(death, marriage)*  * pride*  * dowry*  * gift*  * self and person*  *
moral clothing*  * clothing furniture*  * seduction*

Methods of analysis might include:

* reading the tactile*  * reading the spatial implications*  *
reconstructing the symbolic language*  * from text to textile*  * art
and the visual language of clothing (folds, pleats, stitching, wear,
material, colour etc.)*


Contact information:
Dr Catherine Richardson,
Clothing Culture Conference
The Shakespeare Institute
Church Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6HP
Phone: +(0) 1789 293138
Fax: +(0) 1789 414992
Email:  [log in to unmask]

Call for Papers website:
http://www.ukc.ac.uk/mts/Clothing%20culture%20conference/index.htm

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Renaissance Technologies
Location: United Kingdom
Call for Papers Deadline: 2001-11-15
Date Submitted: 2001-06-12

Announcement ID: 127864

Renaissance Technologies
A one-day interdisciplinary conference at the University of Huddersfield
in association with the Northern Renaissance Seminar

Saturday, March 16, 2002, 10am-5.30pm

Confirmed speakers: Stephen Clucas, Ceri Sullivan, Jonathan Sawday

This conference will focus on the theme of Renaissance Technologies.
Issues of technological innovation and revolution will be approached
from a variety of disciplinary standpoints and theoretical positions.
Fruitful avenues for investigation might be: * information and print
technology*  * material consumption*  * the commodification of
technology*
* interaction between human and machine*  * representations of the
meta-human*  * the economic influence and repercussions of technology*
* the nature of the body*  * banking and financial transactions*  *
imperial and republic technologies*  * measurement and dominion*  *
definitions of spatial relations*  * labour and agriculture*  * medical
technology and anatomical prints*  * emblematic representation*
Specific discussions could range from a discussion of the iron-man Talus
in The Faerie Queene to the impact of new arms technology on early
modern warfare or the effect of new time-keeping instruments on
Restoration society. Theoretical considerations might deploy the work of
Michel Foucault, Friedrich Kittler, Paul Virilio or Jean Baudrillard.
Papers from Postgraduate students are welcomed.

Contact information:
Jerome de Groot
English Department
University of Huddersfield
St. Peter's Building
St. Peter's Street
Huddersfield, HD1 1RA, United Kingdom
Telephone: 01484 478424, Fax: 01484 478428,
Email:  [log in to unmask]

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Rupert Shepherd
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Material Renaissance Project
Essex House
University of Sussex
Falmer, Brighton BN1 9QN, UK
Tel. +44 (0)1273 872544
[log in to unmask]
http://www.sussex.ac.uk/Units/arthist/matren/
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