Columbia University Annual Medieval Guild Graduate Student Conference

Saturday, October 14, 2006
Keynote Speaker: Professor Alastair Minnis

The graduate students of the Columbia University Department of English and Comparative Literature invite twenty-minute papers addressing the notion of instability in the Middle Ages. Possible topics may include:

- Textual Instabilities and the Making of Meaning: Hermeneutical works, narrative compilations, unfinished works, translations, commentaries, marginalia, poetics, genre
- Identity and Instability: Gender identity, cross-dressing, madness, monsters and monstrosity, conversion narratives, religious identity
- States of Instability: Political divides and the body politic, rebellion, treason, heresy, civil war, borders, geography and maps
- Social Instabilities: Disease and wellness, outlaws and exiles, traveling performers and performances, class dynamics, witchcraft

We will consider all papers on the topic of instabilities in the Middle Ages and encourage interdisciplinary submissions. To be considered for the program, please send an abstract (250 words maximum), along with your contact information, including active e-mail address, street address and phone number, and any requests for audio-visual equipment. Submissions must be received by **August 15, 2006** (please note extended deadline) to be given full consideration for inclusion in the program. For more information, contact medieval.instabilities@gmail.com.

For a copy of the CFP, and conference updates, please see our website:
http://www.columbia.edu/cu/medieval/instabilities.html

Conference Organizers: Mary Kate Hurley, Ruth Lexton, Kathleen Smith