http://www.new.enl.auth.gr/ibc2020/
Proposals are invited for the 2020 Conference of the International Association of Byron Societies, “Byron: Wars and Words”, to be held at Aristotle University of Thessaloniki from 29th June to 5th July. The aim of this conference is to look at how war in all its meanings, symbolisms, and manifestations influenced Byron’s words and worlds, and shaped his poetic and political sensibility. Drawing on recent scholarship in Romantic studies, it will also explore Romantic authors’ preoccupations with war, and how these intersected with Byron’s. How are the events of wars transformed into words, images and spectacle? Conversely, how do words become weapons and trigger literary, cultural, and political struggles? What kind of ideological conflicts, dilemmas, and anxieties does the print culture of the time embody when treating the issue of war? How does Romantic-period conflict extend our understanding of modern warfare?
The conference welcomes 20-minute proposals for papers on topics including, but not necessarily limited to:
- Byron as revolutionary fighter and/or critic of war
- Byron and Napoleon
- Byron and epic
- Warfare as inspiring force for poetic subjects, new genres, language forms and styles
- Romantic nationalism
- “Intellectual war”: newspapers, magazines, reviews and broadsides
- The representation of military action and violence in literature and art
- Famous critical wars that Byron’s words produced
- War and gender
- Revolution and knowledge production
- Science and war
- Media and military technologies
Please send 250-word proposals by 31st January 2020 to byronthess@gmail.com, directing any enquiries to Dr. Maria Schoina. Confirmation of acceptance by 29th February 2020.