Renaissance Paratexts, Univesity of York, July 27-28 2006

Speakers: Christy Anderson, Guyda Armstrong, Tom Berger, Danielle Clarke, Matthew Day, Juliet Fleming, Steven Galbraith, Hester Lees-Jeffries, Mike Jones, Peter Lindenbaum, Sonia Massai, Randall McLeod, Marcus Nevitt, Mary Partridge, Helen Pierce, Neil Rhodes, Jason Scott-Warren, William Sherman, Helen Smith, Wendy Wall, Louise Wilson.

In Paratexts, Gérard Genette describes a preface as ‘a threshold, or -- a word Borges used apropos of his -- a "vestibule" that offers the world at large the possibility of either stepping inside or turning back'. This conference invites participants to linger on the threshold, exploring the ways in which Renaissance paratexts, broadly considered, shape the reader's approach to the text, and the text's approach to the surrounding world.

The conference will be held in the historic King's Manor in the centre of York, close to the York Minster library, and several of York's excellent antiquarian and second-hand bookshops. Registration will be charged at £85, with a reduced fee of £65 for students and unwaged. There will be an additional charge of £25 for delegates wishing to attend the conference dinner on Thursday 27th July. Please note accommodation is not included in the conference fee.

For more details, please contact Helen Smith (hs25@york.ac.uk) or Louise Wilson (elw107@york.ac.uk).