Topic: Magic and Magicians in the Middle Ages and the Early Modern Age
The University of Arizona, Tucson
April 28-May 1, 2016 (actual conference April 29-30)
Organizer and Chair:
Dr. Albrecht Classen
University Distinguished Professor
Dept. of German Studies, 301 LSB, The University of Arizona
520 621-1395; aclassen@u.arizona.edu; sites.arizona.edu/aclassen
Program
Abstracts
Deadline to apply is Jan. 31, 2016 (maximum participants: 25)
Checklist for the written version of your papers (deadline: Oct. 1, 2016)
Magic and the magician are two critically important aspects of cultural epistemology, challenging and contributing to the world of science, undermining it at the same time. Who was the magician, what did s/he do, how did s/he operate, how did society view him/her, and what does the topic addressed here mean for our own world in reflection upon the past? This conference does not intend to fantasize about magical things, in a pretense world, but wants to uncover profound aspects of medieval and early modern epistemology. Magic and necromancy were significant avenues to understand this world, not approved, necessarily by scholars and the Church, but they held tremendous sway in many different areas of human sciences and religion.
For two new studies related to this topic, see these links (AZ Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies):
This is a self-sustaining academic symposium. Participants are expected to secure travel funds and other resources to cover their costs (housing, registration) from their home institution.
Registration: $90. This will not only cover the conference, but also provide you with a free copy of the subsequent volume, for which I will do intensive research together with all contributors.
Selected papers will be accepted for publication in a planned volume (de Gruyter; see my webpage on Fundamentals, under “Middle Ages,” right hand side navigation bar). Each contributor to the volume will receive a free copy and can negotiate with the publisher reduced prices for any of the volumes in our series.
For anyone interested in joining the symposium as part of the audience, please contact the organizer. Student participation will be most welcome.
Languages accepted at the symposium: English, French, German, and in exceptional cases Spanish. Non-English papers must be accompanied by a good English summary available as a hand-out. Abstracts of all papers will be posted well ahead of the symposium.
Hotel Accommodations: I have made a special arrangement with Riverpark Inn, $72/night (plus tax [12.05%] plus $2 per night). Price subject to change. Within the USA, call: 1-800 551-1466, refer to “Dept. of German Studies/Magic and the Magician in the Middle Ages and Early Modern Time,” or to my name (Classen). Local number: 520 239-2300. Transportation to and from the symposium (at the University of Arizona), will be provided by means of the new streetcar ($4./day). For international guests, please fax your reservations to: 011- 520-239-2329.
The hotel can pick you up for free from the airport if you make a reservation ahead of time and if the van is available. Email your itinerary to Jill Ward, Manager.
For a downtown map, click on map
For a campus map, click on campus
Alternative transportation from the airport: There are three additional (common) options:
1. Bus no. 25 to downtown ($1.50), 6th Ave. and Pennington St. right next to Ronstadt Bus Depot, from there you walk west on Congress to Granada, turn left (south) to the I-10, through the tunnel, and the hotel is right there (this is by now all a pleasant walk, with good sidewalks, traffic lights, etc, so really safe). Or you can call the hotel at 239-2300 (but they might not have the van available). Alternatively, you can walk down Congress West to the I-10, pass under it, then turn left (South) and walk along Frontage Road to the Hotel (max. 15 minutes), also good sidewalks, traffic lights, etc. But now there is the better option: Buy a transfer ticket (same price) for the bus, and when you get to Ronstead, go to Congress, which runs east-west parallel to it, and hop on the street car, the ticket is still valid, and the street car will stop right next to the hotel.
For bus no. 25 (really easy and very cheap, just $1.50), see their schedule). Once you have reached Ronstadt downtown (Pennington St/6th Ave.), follow the instructions outlined above.
For a map downtown: https://www.google.com/maps/@32.2228412,-110.9643665,15z
2. Take the airport shuttle (one way: ca. $28; round trip: ca. $45), Stagecoach (https://www.azstagecoach.com). Subject to change
Reservation Information 520-889-1000 • reservations@azstagecoach.com.
3.regular taxi (ca. $25-$35, one way).
All prices subject to change.
Deadline for submission of abstracts: January 31, 2016, but feel free to send an inquiry even after that date, to aclassen@email.arizona.edu
Financial support comes from the Department of German Studies, Department of Spanish and Portuguese, the Department of Religious Studies & Classics, the Dean’s Office of the College of Humanities, SILLC, the School of Anthropology, and from UAMARRC, for which we are all very grateful.
