italian-studies: Scholarly discussions in any field of Italian studies
USES & ABUSES OF CAESAR:
FROM ANTIQUITY TO THE 21ST CENTURY
An international conference to be held
on Friday 28 and Saturday 29 March 2003
at the British School at Rome, Italy
Call for Papers
From the labelling of Andreotti as il divo Giulio, to Berlusconi’s
appeal to Caesar, and the annual rituals of commemoration whereby
spring flowers are placed at the feet of Caesar’s statue and in his
forum, the dictator is still central to modern Italian political
discourse. This usage is but one example of the extraordinary and
enduring presence of Julius Caesar in post-classical cultures.
Associated with a sharp turning point in the history of western
civilisation, Caesar quickly took on monumental, quasi-mythic
proportions. Whether as founder or destroyer, over the centuries
Caesar’s image has become a site for the exploration of concerns
about warfare and politics and been utilised in the formation of many
national identities. From a different perspective, Caesar has also
been used to construct or interrogate personal identity (including
uniqueness, leadership, even divinity), morality and virtue.
This conference seeks to examine Caesar as a significant term in the
formation of national and personal self-definitions. It sets out to
explore the dictator’s reception across a wide chronological range
and diverse media, including the new technologies. While retaining a
strong focus on Julius Caesar, the conference will be both
interdisciplinary and cross-cultural. It is expected that selected
papers would be published in book form, as with some previous BSR
conferences.
Contributions are invited from scholars working in the widest possible
range of disciplines, and might include Caesar’s reception in the
following areas: ancient history, archaeology, biography, consumerism
& advertising, erotica, film and television, historical fiction,
historiography, military history & theory (inc. war games & computer
games), museology, music, pedagogy, political science, theatre, the
visual arts. Proposals should consist of an abstract (c. 500 words)
and brief cv (inc. any relevant publications), and be sent in an email
not as an attachment.
Proposals should be sent to Dr Maria Wyke ([log in to unmask]) by
31 July 2002. For further information on the conference’s location,
please visit the British School at Rome’s web-site
(http://www.bsr.ac.uk).
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