CONTROVERSY: within Classics and History

To be held on: Friday March 3rd to Saturday March 4th, 2006

The conference will explore the concept of controversy as it pertains to issues within classical and historical time periods, archival research, and the practice of archaeology.

Papers may address (but are not limited to):

(1) Controversial historical events
(2) Controversial historical interpretations
(2) Theoretical issues pertaining to controversy
(3) Controversy surrounding memory, monuments, and memorials
(4) Meta-theoretical issues that have arisen in response to self-reflexivity on the part of the disciplines of History and Classics. Relevant issues may include gender, race, empire, ecclesiastical history, government, ethics, applications of continental or post-structural thought, etc.

Although this conference is aimed at students of History and Classics, many of the themes explored are interdisciplinary in nature, as such we welcome submissions from all areas of the humanities and social sciences including (but not limited to): Religious Studies, English, Anthropology, Sociology, Political Science, and Philosophy.

The keynote speaker is Dr. Anthony Barrett, A professor in the department of Classical, Near Eastern and Religious Studies at the University of British Columbia. His talk is entitled "Statesmen or Villains? Conflicting Views of the Julio-Claudians."

Additionally in the spirit of encouraging interdisciplinary discussion Dr. Erika Dyck, Assistant Professor in the Department of History and Classics, and Co-Director of the History of Medicine Program at the University of Alberta, will screen a film on which she served as historical advisor entitled “The Psychedelic Pioneers.” The film focuses on the topic of LSD research in Canada. Dr. Dyck will then conclude with a brief lecture and discussion on the controversial subject.

Abstracts and/or panel proposals (150-300 words) should be accompanied by brief Curriculum Vitae and sent to Dawn Berry at daberry@ualberta.ca by January 30, 2005.

Conference rooms will be equipped for audio, video, and PowerPoint. Please indicate at the end of your abstract whether you intend to make use of these resources.

Those who wish to have their papers considered for the essay prize should also submit their papers of 3000-5000 words by January 30th.

More information will be available shortly on the History and Classics Graduate Student Association’s web page: http://www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/historyandclassics/HCGSA.cfm. Please contact Dawn Berry at daberry@ualberta.ca with questions.