Conference organized by theCenter for Medieval Studies, the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine and the James Ford Bell Library,and hosted by the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities.

CFP: Premodern Food Cultures Conference
University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, October 17-19, 2019

We welcome proposals for panels or papers related to premodern food studies for the Premodern Food Cultures Conference at the University of Minnesota, October 17-19, 2019, organized by the Center for Medieval Studies, the Wangensteen Historical Library of Biology and Medicine and the James Ford Bell Library.

Recent research in food studies have shown the importance of food and food culture as reflective of many aspects of life, including economic and political realities, religious and social beliefs and mores, and material culture. Food and food culture can be indicators of social and class status, it can reveal trade networks, religious belief, and environmental conditions.

Plenary speakers include:

  • Paul Freedman(professor of History, Yale University) author of Food, The History of Taste, Ten Restaurants that Changed America, Out of the East: Spices and the Medieval Imagination.
  • Theresa McCulla, brewing historian at the National Museum of American History, and author of Consumable City: Food and Race in New Orleans.

In addition to traditional panels, in which experts present 15-20 minute papers on their research, we welcome proposals (at z.umn.edu/premodernfoodconference)for other forms of scholarly engagement and presentation, including workshops on teaching and outreach on food history, converting historical recipes, and other innovative formats (as taken from the MLA):

  • Creative Conversations: These sessions may be roundtables or special sessions that feature free-form dialogues or forums between published authors or other artists and an interviewer. This might include sessions that consider single works, classics, emerging formats, films, plays, artwork, and such.
  • Electronic Roundtables: These digital-demonstration sessions reconfigure the familiar poster session, allowing participants to identify and exchange findings on topics such as incorporating digital media technologies into teaching, scholarship, and administration; to use digital media to explore a particular issue such as community engagement, student research, or textual editing.
  • Ignite Talks: This session format includes brief, timed presentations, such as those in the PechaKucha style. In that format, twenty images are shown for twenty seconds each, and panelists talk along with their images.
  • Case-Study-Themed Sessions: These sessions can be organized around any single topic ranging from workshops on members’ syllabi to conversations on new approaches to organized learning.
  • Master Classes: Such sessions center on widely held member interests and might feature accomplished scholars or teachers leading how-to sessions in different presentational styles or structures (workshops, roundtables, panels).

If you are interested in anything other than presenting a traditional paper, the complete session with all members must be included in your submission.You also may put together a complete panel for traditional papers, but we welcome traditional paper proposals from individuals. Please submit proposals via our online Google form: z.umn.edu/premodernfoodconference

  • If you are proposing a panel or roundtable, please provide an abstract of the proposed panel, session or roundtable. Include the format, names, institutional affiliation and contact information for all participants. 500 word maximum.
  • If you are submitting a proposal for a standard conference paper, submit title, abstract (300 word max) as well as c.v. by February 15, 2019.

Questions should be directed to Michelle M. Hamilton, Director of the Center for Medieval Studies ([email protected]) or Marguerite Ragnow, Curator of the James Ford Bell Library ([email protected]).

Premodern Food Cultures Conference 2019
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