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Postponed to 2022...

 

Sponsors


The Cook-Cole College of Arts and Sciences
Office of the Longwood Vice-President/Provost
Greenwood Library
Department of English and Modern Languages
Department of History, Political Science, and Philosophy
Longwood Chapter of Lambda Iota Tau
Longwood History Club

Welcome (eventually!) to the Fourteenth Annual Longwood University Undergraduate Medieval Conference. The conference theme of "Meeting in the Middle" highlights the growing place of Longwood and Farmville as a hub of Medieval Studies. Not only have faculty and library resources been augmented of late, but Farmville itself is central to a growing web of medievalists in Virginia, West Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland. In recent years, it has been our pleasure to see participants from almost the whole of the Atlantic coast. For that reason, we look forward to welcoming back all of our friends who joined us in prior years, along with new attendees to a buffet of scholarship and collegial rejuvenation... once it is safe to do so!

This relaunched conference’s papers will coalesce around the theme of “The ‘Original’ Marvel Universe.” We invite the best undergraduate scholarship of our region (and beyond) to come and nuance, overthrow, perhaps even confirm our theme. Further details on proposing a paper topic are available in our Call for Papers. In addition, we continue to welcome still more disciplines to the conference. Thus, this year's conference envisions sessions featuring music, drama, and art.

Our plenary speakers highlight the diversity of medieval studies in the United States and Europe, as we draw upon the resources of our region and beyond. In 2022 we will feature two scholars whose work has highlighted the benefit of crossing boundaries: Dr. Wendy Turner (Augusta University), a specialist on the intersection between law and medicine in
medieval England, specifically disabilities and mental health; and Dr. Jeff Rider (Wesleyan University), noted editor and translator of multiple chronicles, with lively research in Flemish history, Arthurian legends, and medievalism.

This year's conference will also have the eighth competition for the best student paper. The Abels-Johnson Award for Excellence is named for the two scholars who gave us examples of their own outstanding scholarship at the first Longwood conference in 2007: Richard Abels (ret.) of the United States Naval Academy and David Johnson of Florida State University. Interested students should contact either of the conference organizers so as to submit their manuscript in advance of the conference. The award will be announced on the Saturday of the conference after being judged by the plenary speakers.

All of the panels on Friday and Saturday will be held in the Nance Room of the Dorrill Dining Hall, with registration taking place in the foyer of the Nance Room. Often called the D-Hall, the Dorrill Building is building #28 on the campus map, nearly at the very center of campus. Parking for the entire conference has been reserved in the Brock Commons Parking Garage (in the slots marked for visitors), which is located at #48 on the campus map. It can be approached from either the east or west on Bedford St. There will be directional signs to assist you in locating the parking lot and the meeting facilities.

The links to the left should take you to all the information you might need concerning the conference, lodgings, directions, and such. If, however, we have managed not to cover something you are curious about, please write either of the Conference Directors, Larissa Tracy and Steven Isaac, who will respond shortly.
(Note: Until we actually have the 2020 presenters confirmed, we typically leave the prior program in place so visitors can see something of the conference's typical depth and variety.)