Kalamazoo 2012 Sessions

As promised, here are the complete details for our sessions for next year's International Congress on Medieval Studies:

The Comics Get Medieval at Kalamazoo: New Perspectives for Incorporating Comics into Medieval Studies Teaching and Research (Roundtable)
Organizer: Michael A. Torregrossa, The Virtual Society for the Study of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages

Presider: Mikee Delony, Abilene Christian University

1. “Grotesque in Comics”

Fabio Mourilhe, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro

2. “Caliber (2008), or Arthur’s Mystical Six-Shooter and the Gunslingers of the O.K. Corral”

Karen (Casey) Casebier, St. Mary’s College of Maryland

3. “Arthurian Themes in DC Comic’s Demon Knights (2011-)”

Jason Tondro, University of California, Riverside


Are You From Camelot? Recent Arthurian Film and Television as Innovators of the Arthurian Tradition and Their Impact (Roundtable) (co-sponsored with The Alliance for the Promotion of Research on the Villains of the Matter of Britain)

Organizer: Michael A. Torregrossa, The Virtual Society for the Study of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages

Presider: Charlotte A. T. Wulf, Stevenson University

1. “Merlin: Magician, Man, and Manipulator in Starz’s Camelot (2011)”

Caroline Womack, University of Leeds

2. “Morgan, Uther’s Other Child, in BBC1’s Merlin (2008-) and Starz’s Camelot (2011)”

Cindy Mediavilla, UCLA Department of Information Studies

3. “Galahad and Indiana Jones: The Commodification of the Holy Grail in Modern Grail Quests”

Schuyler Eastin, San Diego Christian College

4. Arthurising the Wife of Bath: The Wife of Bath’s Tale in S4C’s The Canterbury Tales (1999) and BBC’s Canterbury Tales (2003)

Paul Hardwick, Leeds Trinity University College

5. Respondent

Karolyn Kinane, Plymouth State University

Our Kalamazoo Sessions 2012

We are in the process of finalizing our sessions for the 2012 International Congress on Medieval Studies. Details will be posted first to the respective blogs (film and comics) and then re-posted here.

Medievalism at NEPCA

A number of papers with medieval subjects will be presented in November at the 2011 Annual Meeting of the Northeast Popular Culture/American Culture Association at Western Connecticut State University in Danbury Connecticut, from 11-12 November. The complete program is now available online.

FRIDAY, 11 NOV., 4-5:30 PM
8) Science and Technology I/Symposium: Geeks, Gadgets and Games: The Influence of Technology on Media Entertainment in Contemporary Culture (ROOM: WHITE 024)

PAPER 1 OF 3: “From Mighty Thor to Thor: Problematizing the Inherent Societal Values and Individual Identities of “Geek” Culture Artifacts Appropriated by Mainstream America” – Jessica Eckstein and David Kazibut, Western Connecticut State University

SATURDAY, 12 NOV., 8:30-10 AM

6) Science Fiction, Fantasy, and Legend II: Legends Old and New (ROOM: WARNER 320)

PAPER 1 OF 4: “The Werewolf: Out of Bounds”—Barry Hall, University of Nizwa

PAPER 2 OF 4: “Robin Hood in Ballad and Film”—Kerry R. Kaleba, George Mason University

PAPER 3 OF 4: “What Do Vampires Have to Do with the Holy Grail? The Transformation of the Grail Legend in Undead Arthuriana”—Michael A. Torregrossa, The Virtual Society for the Study Of Popular Culture and the Middle Ages

SATURDAY, 12 NOV., 10:30 AM - 12 PM 

8) Science Fiction, Fantasy and Legend III: Fantasy (ROOM: WHITE 023)

1. “ ‘Epic’ in Epic-Fantasy Literature”—Robert Luce, Independent Scholar

2. “ Who Is Afraid of Merlin? The Darkening of Merlin in Modern Arthurian Fiction” -- Anne Berthelot, University of Connecticut

3. “ ‘Close This Book Right Now’: The Writer-Character in Children’s Fantasy”-- Amie A. Doughty, SUNY Oneonta

4. “Fandom 2.0: Fantasy, Social Media, and Fan Creativity” -- James Kennedy, Columbia College

SATURDAY, 12 NOV., 1:30-3 PM

2) Comics and Graphic Novels II: Damsels Causing Distress (ROOM: WARNER 226)

PAPER 2 OF 4: “Vampiric Viragoes: Villainizing and Sexualizing Arthurian Women in King Arthur v. Dracula (2005) and Madame Xanadu (2008)”—Kate Allocco, Western Connecticut State University

Beowulf by James Rumford

I recently picked up James Rumford's Beowulf: A Hero's Tale Retold (2007) and found it an interesting read. The book--both written and illustrated by Rumford--offers young readers a simplified and non-gory version of Beowulf that makes several attempts for a more "authentic" version of the story. The costumes, arms and armor, architecture and decoration are suitably early medieval in appearance, and the text itself both uses keenings and employs a lexicon of words primarily derived from Old English. Rumford details his approach to the book in an author's note that concludes the work and on his website. This is definitely something to consider for the young medievalists on your holiday shopping lists.

Medieval Popular Culture and Arthurian Legends (12/15/11; PCA Boston 4/11-14/12)

Medieval Popular Culture and Arthurian Legends, April 11-14th, 2012, Boston, Massachusetts
42nd Annual Popular and American Culture Associations Conference
contact email: kaufmana@mtsu.edu

Medieval Popular Culture and Arthurian Legends at the 42nd Annual Popular and American Culture Associations Conference

April 11-14th, 2012, Boston, Massachusetts

Call for papers and panel proposals on all popular treatments of the Middle Ages or Arthurian Legend from any period and in any medium. We will consider all proposals for papers, but we especially encourage abstracts on the following for this year’s conference:

Arthurian themes in _Dragon Age_ I and II
Harry Potter and medievalism
The _Lost_ finale and the Holy Grail
Medievalism in Martin’s _Game of Thrones_
_The Mists of Avalon_ after 30 years
New Camelots: _Camelot_ on Starz and the BBC’s _Merlin_
Paranormal romance and medievalism
Robin Hood

Abstracts should not exceed 250 words and papers must keep to a reading time of 15 minutes (approximately 7-8 double spaced pages). Be sure to include your full name, affiliation, mailing address, phone number and email address on your abstract, not just in the email. Email submissions are preferred.

Deadline: December 15, 2011

Send submissions to Amy Kaufman at: kaufmana@mtsu.edu

or mail to:
Amy S. Kaufman
Department of English, Middle Tennessee State University
MTSU Box 0070, 1301 East Main Street Murfreesboro
TN 37132-0001

Please note: Membership in the PCA is required for participation. Membership forms and more information about the conference are available online at www.pcaaca.org.