CFP: Political Theology in the Middle Ages

CFP: Political Theology in the Middle Ages
International Medieval Congress in Kalamazoo, Michigan
13-16 May 2010

This panel asks for papers which explore what medieval studies can
gain from the perspective of "political theology" -- a term which has
been widely known to medievalists (through Ernst Kantorowicz's The
King's Two Bodies: A Study in Medieval Political Theology) but which
has lately gained new prominence through the work of theorists such as
Agamben, Zizek, Badiou, and Carl Schmitt, as well as that of
medievalists such as Kathleen Biddick and Kathleen Davis. We welcome
papers which explore the following questions: Does the study of
"political theology" differ from the traditional study of medieval
political thought? Can this perspective enter into dialogue with, or
render a critique of, those traditional studies? What sources and
methodologies are appropriate to it? Do medieval theological
conceptions of sovereignty persist in our own era, and if so, how? How
do theological conceptions of sovereignty relate to the themes of
secularity, periodization, biopower, legality, and colonialism in the
medieval period? Papers dealing with all geographical regions and
medieval periods are welcome.

Submission Details: Submit one-page abstracts and contact information
to Matthew Brown at mbrown5@nd.edu no later than September 15, 2009