The Normans in the South Mediterranean Meetings in the Central Middle Ages Friday 30 June – Sunday 2 July 2017 St Edmund Hall, University of Oxford Call for Papers By some accounts, 1017 marked the advent of the Norman presence in Italy and Sicily, inaugurating a new era of invasion, interaction and integration in the Mediterranean. Whether or not we decide the millen­nial anniversary is significant, the moment offers an ideal opportunity to explore the story in the south, about a thousand years ago. To what extent did the Normans establish a cross-cultural empire? What can we learn by comparing the impact of the Norman presence in different parts of Europe? What insights are discoverable in comparing local histories of Italy and Sicily with broader historical ideas about trans­formation, empire and exchange? The conference aims to draw together established, early-career and post-graduate scholars for a joint investigation of the Normans in the south, to explore together the many meetings of cultural, political and religious ideas in the Mediterranean in the central Middle Ages. Keynote Speakers Professor Graham Loud (University of Leeds) Professor Jeremy Johns (University of Oxford) Professor Sandro Carocci (University of Rome II) Call for Papers Proposals for three-paper sessions, as well as individual proposals for 20-minute papers, are welcome. Comparative studies are particularly encouraged. Submissions should include: an abstract of 200–300 words, paper title, name and academic position, institutional affiliation and durable contact details for all speakers.     Themes and topics could include: -    Sicily as a cultural crossroads -    Crusading -    The Normans and empire -    Islamic interactions -    Political leadership -    Social change: women, men and families -    Norman Conquests compared: Italy, Sicily and other parts of Europe -    Reactions to the Norman presence in the south, then and now -    Impact on Italy as a whole -    Migration -    Local history: micro-perspectives on macro-trends     Submission Deadline: 15 November 2016 Please direct paper and session proposals, requests to join the conference mailing list, ideas for themes, and all other enquiries to:     Dr Emily A. Winkler emily.winkler@history.ox.ac.uk Conference Website: http://www.haskinssociety.org/Normans-in-the-South