Call for Papers
Shifting Fortunes in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages
24-25 April 2025, University of Edinburgh
Due 21 February 2025
Edinburgh’s Centre for Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies (CLAIBS) is pleased to announce the call for papers for the 6th International Graduate Conference in Late Antique, Islamic and Byzantine Studies.
Keynote Speaker: Dr Krystina Kubina (Austrian Academy of Sciences)
The fortunes of individuals, communities and states in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages were far from fixed certainties, and whilst any number of sudden crises and exigencies could bring fortunes crashing down, there was also ample opportunity for them to be built up, transformed, and consolidated. Therefore, securing one’s fortunes, be they political, economic or spiritual, was of paramount importance to all members of late antique and medieval societies. Whether in the imperial cities of Constantinople and Rome, the caliphal courts of Baghdad, Cordoba and Cairo, or in the courts of Paris and Léon, decisions were made, edicts and chrysobulls were issued, taxes were raised, theologies were disputed, and wars were waged, all in the name of securing the good fortune of ruling interests. Beyond the actions of caliphs, emperors and kings, one is greeted by an assortment of ways in which individuals and communities sought to enhance their own fortunes, be it through pious dedications, participation in religious ritual, production or patronage of literature, economic activities or acts of rebellion. On the other hand, a drop in fortunes could be heralded by environmental factors, such as plague, famine, drought, or through instances of external and internal conflict like invasion, civil war and fitnah.
This conference will focus on this theme of shifting fortunes and examine both the factors underpinning change, as well as the various processes and dynamics through which the creation, consolidation, and collapse of fortunes came to pass. For instance, how were fortunes negotiated and renegotiated across the period, and how far did this differ across the boundaries of social class, gender, religious identity and geography? Given the broad range of possible applications of ‘shifting fortunes’ as an avenue of historical inquiry, we encourage the submission of papers which broach a wide array of topics and adopt innovative methodological approaches in their case studies. Moreover, the scope of this conference shall go beyond Centre’s focus on Late Antiquity, Islamic and Byzantine Studies. As such, we shall also incorporate contributions from a global medieval perspective.
The deadline for abstracts is the 21 February 2025 and notification of acceptance will be confirmed by 7 March 2025.
Please submit your abstract of no more than 300 words, and a 100-word professional biography to edibyzpg@ed.ac.uk. We kindly welcome submissions from individuals or groups. Lunch will be provided on both days, and there will be a small registration fee of £20 for attendees. For speakers, we hope to waive this registration fee, but further information will be provided at a later date.
Suggest topics for papers can be found in the document below (PDF), however, papers which approach the theme of ‘shifting fortunes’ from other angles will also be considered.
Call for papers for Shifting Fortunes in Late Antiquity and the Middle Agesers for Shifting Fortunes in Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages (1.42 MB / PDF)
For more information, visit: https://hca.ed.ac.uk/updates-events/events/cfp-shifting-fortunes-in-late-antiquity-and-the-middle-ages.