Sanctity is a construct in which text and context each have their roles to play. It owes its existence and survival to it being accepted by believers. Hagiography is the prime example of this mutual relationship. As one of the most prominent genres of the Middle Ages, saints' lives present themselves as fascinating texts firmly grounded in people’s everyday lives: they are a means of edification and entertainment, bearers of popular devotion and religion, vehicles of their time and culture as well as important testaments to the interface between Latin and vernacular literature. The different roles texts play in establishing and preserving sanctity is the topic of this conference.

We welcome interdisciplinary proposals for papers which explore the dynamic relationship between sanctity and literature, from both scholars and graduate students (working on the concept of sanctity and/or saints’ lives) from late Antiquity through Medieval and Renaissance periods. Papers might address, in particular, the languages of hagiography, questions of gender, genre and reception, transmission history, theological issues, stylistics and literary art.

Proposals which should not exceed 300 words should be emailed to Eva von Contzen (Eva.Contzen@rub.de) by 31 December 2009.

Contact details:
Eva von Contzen
Department of English
Universitätsstraße 150
44780 Bochum, Germany

Eva von Contzen (Ph.D. student)
Fakultät für Philologie
Englisches Seminar
Universitätsstraße 150
44780 Bochum, Germany
E-mail: Eva.Contzen@rub.de
Phone: +49-234-32-25732

Keynote speakers:
Professor Alastair Minnis (Yale Unviersity)
Professor Michael Hunter (Birkbeck College)
Professor Frances E. Dolan (University of California at Davis)
Professor Dauvit Broun (Glasgow University)

We wish to invite proposals for papers and panels for ANZAMEMS 2011. We would like to encourage papers and panels in the broadly-defined academic disciplines of medieval and early modern studies, including but not limited to history, literary studies, music, art history, theology and religious studies, cultural studies, philosophy, science, medicine, maritime studies, performance studies, gender studies. We particularly welcome and encourage papers from graduate students and early career researchers.

Proposals for full panels are very welcome. These should include three proposed speakers, and, if possible, a chair and/or a respondent. Individual papers will be grouped with two others. Parallel sessions will last an hour and a half, which means that papers should be no longer than 20 minutes each to leave sufficient time for discussion.

The final deadline for proposals is *3 September 2010*, but early submissions are encouraged. Proposals should contain a title, an abstract of your paper (200 words), and your name, contact details, and institutional affiliation. Participants who need to make travel arrangements are welcome to submit their proposals early and the convenors will assess their abstracts promptly.

Proposals should be sent to anzamems2011@otago.ac.nz

Further information may be sought from or from our website, or from the convenors:
Dr Simone Celine Marshall, simoneceline.marshall@otago.ac.nz
Dr Judith Collard, judith.collard@otago.ac.nz
Professor Peter Anstey, peter.anstey@otago.ac.nz