[PHILOS-L] REMINDER: CFP - hybrid conference “The Ideal and the Ugly: bodies through senses, media and cultural memory”

[Katarína Kompauerová]

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Dear All,

We are pleased to announce a Call for Papers for a one-day conference “The Ideal and the Ugly: bodies through senses, media and cultural memory”.

The event will take place at the University of Warwick on Friday 24th October 2025.  

Call for Papers deadline: Friday 25th July 2025. 

 

The “ideal body” has been widely explored and theorized across various disciplines, including history, art, sociology, psychology and medicine. It is an ever-evolving concept shaped and defined by societal norms, personal experiences, and cultural portrayals. 

This one-day conference aims to understand the concept of the “ideal” body, the responses to bodies that are deemed “non-ideal” (whether in art, text, or in real life), the emotional experience of people that fall within that category, and the extent to which our senses and culture shape our interactions with such bodies. It invites an interdisciplinary perspective on the definition of the “other” from antiquity to modernity through different media. Through this event we intend to create a space to interrogate the boundaries between “ideal” and “ugly”, and challenge our assumptions and beliefs.  

The conference will feature a keynote address by Dr. Anastasia Meintani whose research focuses on the representations of the body in Greek and Roman art and challenges traditional notions of the “ideal”. Her most recent book, The Grotesque Body in Graeco-Roman Antiquity, represents a key text in the field. 

This conference is especially aimed at audiences who are interested in the representation and the othering of certain bodies. The main scope of the conference is antiquity, but we do encourage researchers of other historical periods, including modernity, and other disciplines to facilitate and foster broader discussions on this topic and interdisciplinary networking. 

 

We are accepting abstracts of 250 words, for 20-minute papers on (but not limited to) the following topics: 

• The way we create and represent the “ideal” and the “ugly”: theoretical and methodological approaches 
• The role of humanities and sciences in shaping the “ideal” model 
• The representation of bodies in literature, material culture, arts, and performances 
• How different media shape the response to the “ideal” and the “ugly” 
• The role of temporality and cultural memory in shaping our ideals of aesthetics; and how culture is in turn shaped by aesthetics 
• Experiencing the “ideal” and the “ugly” through senses and emotions 

 

In addition to the 20-minute papers, this conference also offers the opportunity to deliver a 30–40-minute workshop session, in which delegates can engage with the conference’s theme in interactive and creative ways. If you are interested in delivering a workshop session (in-person only), send a 250-word proposal explaining the topics of your proposed activity, how it will allow the participants to reflect upon the theme of the conference and how you intend to deliver it. Please note: the workshop session can only be delivered in person. 

If your submission is not selected for an oral presentation, you will still have the opportunity to showcase your research through a poster which will be displayed and poster presenters will have the chance to discuss their work with attendees over lunch.  

Event format:

While this event is hybrid, we hope to have an engaging in-person experience for most presenters and attendees. However, we understand that attending in person may not be feasible for everyone. If you prefer to participate online, please indicate this preference when submitting your materials. 

 

Submission details:

Send your abstract (max. 250 words) with a short bio (max. 150 words) to kk...@leicester.ac.uk by Friday 25th July 2025, indicating if you will attend in person or online.  

Successful applicants will be notified by 11th August 2025. 

 

For further information and queries contact the conference organisers Katarina Kompauerova or Elena Claudi: kk...@leicester.ac.uk or Elena....@warwick.ac.uk 

 

With best wishes,

Katarina and Elena

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