CFP: Manuscript Miscellanies: Composition, Authorship, Use

CFP: Manuscript Miscellanies: Composition, Authorship, Use

Location: Czech Republic
Call for Papers Date: 2009-08-24
Date Submitted: 2008-10-05
Announcement ID: 164392
Workshop at the Department of Greek and Latin Studies, Philosophical
Faculty of the Charles University in Prague August 24-26, 2009

The term miscellany is a wide one and can refer to a number of
concepts. On the one hand, medieval catalogues of manuscripts often
use the term miscellanea for the 'leftovers' impossible to classify in
a simple way. Many of the miscellaneous codices might have originated
in this way - by binding together various 'remaining' texts. On the
other hand, a miscellany can be a very carefully designed codex with a
clear idea behind and serving a particular purpose. Clearly, the most
frequent cases are those inbetween, that is, miscellanies which may be
interpreted as designed but whose origin might have also included the
aspect of the random. Thus, analysing miscellanies, one encounters
also the problems of interpretability.

Case studies on particular medieval manuscript miscellanies written in
any language are welcome at the workshop concentrating especially on
three aspects: Composition: How do the contents fit together in
specific cases? Is there a plan or a reason behind? If so, what does
the selection tells about the compiler's interests? Authorship: To
what degree are the miscellany compilers and gatherers authors? Is
there a personal touch discernable and interpretable? Use: How were
these manuscripts actually used? Can a specific use of a particular
miscellany be detected?

Keynote lectures will be given by Kimberly Rivers (Univ. of Wiskonsin,
Oshkosh, U.S.A.) and Greti Dinkova-Bruun (Pontifical Institute of
Mediaeval Studies, Toronto, Canada). Workshop languages are English,
French, and German. There will be no conference fee. Limited funds are
available to support the travel and accommodation expenses of selected
participants (priority will be given to scholars from Eastern Europe).
Please, send a brief (300-400 words) abstract of the proposed
20-minute paper together with information on your affiliation and
research interests to Lucie Dole¾alová at dolezalova@cts.cuni.cz by
December 31, 2008.

Lucie Dolezalova
Jilska 1
110 00 Prague
Czech Republic
phone: + 420-605-75-80-79
Email: dolezalova@cts.cuni.cz