The Byzness, 15th February 2026
Oxford University Byzantine Society
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THE OXFORD UNIVERSITY BYZANTINE SOCIETY
The Byzness, 8th February 2026
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
2. CALLS FOR PAPERS
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
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1. NEWS AND EVENTS
Dear all,
Fifth week is here, and there are just 13 days until until the OUBS 28th International Graduate Conference, Decline and Flourish. We could not be more excited to meet all our speakers and attendees in Oxford at St. Peter’s College and online on February 28th and March 1st.
Over this term, the OUBS will be documenting some of our more exciting endeavours on our social media channels. If you don’t follow us yet, you can find us at the following handles:
Instagram: @ox_byz
Bluesky: @oxunibyzantinesoc.bsky.social
X/Twitter: @oxbyz (if you do follow us on X, we are transitioning over to Bluesky, so please do follow us there in the first instance)
All my very best,
Madeleine.
For those wishing to submit an event, call for papers, job or scholarship opportunity to the Byzness please send details to the committee at byzantin...@gmail.com indicating the relevant list for The Byzness our external to Oxford and year-round newsletter or The Byzantine Lists our Oxford-centered events and circulated only in term-time. Please keep listing brief and include all relevant information in the body of the notice. Outside of exceptional circumstances, we only share events once.
Byzantine Disability Hub
We are pleased to announce the establishment of the Byzantine Disability Hub, a new scholarly space dedicated to exploring physical and mental difference in the Byzantine world. The Hub aims to bring together scholars, students, and all those interested in the lived experiences, representations, and social dimensions of disability in Byzantium and the medieval eastern Mediterranean.
Serving as a central platform for our activities and resources, the Byzantine Disability Hub offers a gateway to lectures, group discussions, conference updates, and a curated repository of relevant scholarship. We envision the Hub as a meeting place—one that fosters connection, collaboration, and contribution within this emerging field of study. By encouraging dialogue and highlighting ongoing work, the Hub seeks to strengthen international networks, inspire new research, and support future projects that broaden our understanding of Byzantium and its diverse communities.
We warmly invite colleagues to join us for two upcoming events:
an informal online meeting to meet the Hub organizers on Thursday, February 26 at 6pm GMT / 1PM EST
the inaugural lecture by Glenn Peers (University of Texas at Austin/ Syracuse University) on Community and Difference: Freaks and Byzantine ‘Healing’ on Thursday 9 April at 6pm GMT / 1PM EST
For more details about the Hub, please use this link: https://byzantine-disability-hub.leeds.ac.uk/
Byzantine Studies Lectures (NHRF), February 2026
The Byzantine Studies Lectures of the Institute of Historical Research (National Hellenic Research Foundation) continue on Monday February 16 with a hybrid lecture on:
Eros in the "Macedonian Renaissance": Reconsidering Two Byzantine Authors
Theodora Antonopoulou, National and Kapodistrian University of Athen
18:00 EET
The lecture will be hosted by Princeton Athens Center: 3 Timarchou Str. 11634 Athens
Those who wish to attend in person must register following this link:
https://forms.gle/NPVsofT5FsETt5en6
To join via Zoom please follow the link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_r8xwioIpSoyAZf1gthzhtA
British Library Doctoral Open Day: Asian and African Collections
The British Library's Doctoral Open Day on Asian and African collections on Friday 27 February.
Although the day is pitched at postgraduate researchers, it may be useful for other students and researchers looking to engage with our collections. We will also be joined by colleagues from SOAS Library and Senate House Library to give attendees a more comprehensive understanding of relevant collections in the Bloomsbury area.
The Open Day introduces researchers to relevant collection areas, including our Asian and African collections, India Office archives, Visual Arts collections and World and Traditional Music collections. The day covers the practicalities of using our collections, offers the opportunity to meet reference staff and curators, and encourages researchers to make connections with peers with similar interests.
More information and registration is available on our website: https://events.bl.uk/events/doctoral-open-day-asian-and-african-collections. Please direct any questions about this event to p...@bl.uk.
Summer School on the languages of the Christian East in Rome registrations now open
We are delighted to announce the third edition of the Summer School on the Languages of the Christian East, organised by Syriaca - The Italian Association for Syriac Studies and the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome.
The Summer School will be held, as usual, in the Salesian Pontifical University in Rome, from July 6th to July 17th, 2026. Just like previous editions, the School will offer a variety of language classes, which will take place in the morning, as well as many seminars on literature and culture in the afternoon. Participants will receive a certificate of 6 ECTS at the end of the two weeks (with 90% of attendance achieved).
This year, we have expanded our teaching offer, which now amounts to 12 courses, here listed with their instructors:
Arabic 1: Francesca Cananiello (Università di Firenze)
Arabic 2: Martino Masolo (Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore di Milano)
Armenian 1: Emilio Bonfiglio (Hamburg Universität)
Armenian 2: Sara Scarpellini (Università di Firenze)
Ethiopian 1: Alessandro Bausi (Sapienza Università di Roma)
Georgian 1: Alexey Muraviev (Lomonosov Moscow State University)
Hebrew 1: Anna Giaconia (Universiteit Gent)
Hebrew 2: Isabella Maurizio (Sorbonne)
Syriac 1: Giorgia Nicosia (Universiteit Gent)
Syriac 2: Marco Pavan (Roma Tre / UPS)
Vernacular Greek: Ugo Mondini (University of Oxford)
Unsure of which language to pick, or simply curious to know what will be learned in each course? Take a look at the brief videos with info about our courses and their teachers: https://www.syriacastudisiriaci.it/scuola-estiva/
Participants will be able to attend only one language course, but are strongly encouraged to let us know, upon registration, whether they would be interested in attending any other course that we offer. Participants will be provided with the materials and tools that will be necessary for their morning classes and afternoon seminars. Though in-person participation is highly recommended, the possibility of attending the Summer School online will be provided upon specific request. The School will be held in Italian, but all language teachers are available to switch to English if requested.
Registrations are now open! Participants will enjoy the reduced fee for early birds (420 € in person, 520€ online) until 15/03. If you register between 15/03 and 01/05, there will be no reduction (480 € in person, 580 € online). Registrations close on the 1st of May 2026. A limited number of on-campus ensuite rooms are available for Summer School participants, on a first come first served basis. Participants will be informed of the accommodation pricing based on their requests.
To register, please email us at summerschoo...@gmail.com, stating which language course you wish to attend (+ a backup option), and attaching a brief description of your academic background and interests (5-10 lines). Do not forget to add whether you need on-campus accommodation for the Summer School.
An Italian and English presentation of the Summer School is provided in the PDF flyer in the attachment. More info on the website: https://www.syriacastudisiriaci.it/scuola-estiva/
Do not hesitate to reach out to us at summerschoo...@gmail.com; we hope to see many of you in Rome this summer!
Online Lecture: The Frankish Kingdom and the Eastern Empire: Rethinking Their Interconnections from a Medieval Perspective
The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture is pleased to announce the 2025–2026 edition of its annual lecture with the Harvard University Standing Committee on Medieval Studies.
The Frankish Kingdom and the Eastern Empire: Rethinking Their Interconnections from a Medieval Perspective
Laury Sarti, University of Bonn
February 27, 2026 | 12:00–1:30 pm (EST, UTC -5) | Zoom
How did the Byzantines perceive the Franks since the end of Antiquity, and to what extent did they recognise Frankish imperial claims at the time of Charlemagne? This lecture reassesses the sources to challenge the traditional view of general Byzantine superiority, focusing on contemporary perspectives. It examines the relationship and connections between the Franks and the empire from the Merovingian period, and how these relations evolved over time. It does so by employing three approaches: the study of connectivity, exploring interactions and infrastructures; the study of networking, tracing the processes and outcomes of these interactions; and entanglement, analysing intersecting socio-political factors. The evidence shows that Charlemagne’s recognition in 812 followed standard imperial protocols, that the dual imperial order remained conceptually viable, and that the Franks retained ties to imperial structures while gradually asserting autonomy. Elite-level networks—embassies, marriage proposals, and Greek learning—sustained a limited but enduring imperial connection, which only weakened by the Ottonian period.
Laury Sarti is Heisenberg Professor in the Department of History at the University of Bonn. Her research focuses on war as a factor of social change after the end of the Roman Empire, the legacy of Rome in the early medieval West, and physical mobility until the Late Middle Ages.
Advance registration required. Register: https://maryjahariscenter.org/events/the-frankish-kingdom-and-the-eastern-empire
Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjc...@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture, with any questions.
Spindle Whorls and Women’s Work: Reframing Middle Byzantine Lives in the Athenian Agora
Fotini Kondyli, University of Virginia
March 4, 2026 | 12:00–1:30 pm (Eastern Standard Time, UTC -5)| | Zoom
Over 150 Middle Byzantine spindle whorls in bone and steatite have been uncovered in the Athenian Agora Excavations, found in domestic and work spaces as well as in burials. In this lecture, I move these objects out of the artifact catalogues where they often linger and let them speak, telling the stories of the women who used them and the non-elite lives they illuminate.
By tracing the “biographies” of these tools—their birth (materials, making, design), working life (use, skill, transmission), and economic movement (exchange, display, disposal)—we can reconstruct rhythms of women’s labor and situate spinning within the urban economy of Byzantine Athens. Highly decorated surfaces, combining polished planes with incised grooves and circles, reveal a tactile aesthetic meant to be felt as much as seen. These designs, often associated with sacred or protective motifs, suggest that spindle whorls were not merely functional but active participants in religious experience and domestic protection. Decoration also connects these objects to a wider world: parallels with Islamic spindle whorls from the 9th–10th-century point to cultural exchange through textiles and luxury goods, and their appropriation for aesthetic and apotropaic purposes in Byzantine contexts.
Portable and publicly performed, spinning transformed these tools into communication objects, signaling skill, status, and adherence to social norms, while transmitting tacit knowledge across generations. Thinking through these encounters, this lecture reframes spinning as a socially and religiously meaningful, economically consequential performance at the heart of Middle Byzantine urban life.
Fotini Kondyli is Associate Professor of Byzantine Art and Archaeology at the University of Virginia. She researches spatial practices, community-building processes, the material culture of Byzantine non-elites, and cultural, economic, and political networks in the Eastern Mediterranean in the Late Byzantine period (13th-15th centuries).
Advance registration required. Register: https://maryjahariscenter.org/events/spindle-whorls-and-womens-work
Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjc...@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture with any questions.
Opportunity for Graduate Students and ECRs: GIS Basics for Byzantinists Workshop Series
The Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture and the Byzantine Studies Association of North America are pleased to offer a a GIS basics workshop series for graduate students and early career researchers in collaboration with Becky Seifried of the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
GIS Basics for Byzantinists Workshop Series | Becky Seifried (University of Massachusetts Amherst) | Zoom | March 13 and March 20, 2026
The GIS Basics for Byzantinists workshop series will provide an introduction to the core concepts of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) through participatory sessions geared towards map creation and design. Using QGIS, a free and open-source GIS desktop software package, participants will learn how to create new research data and then transform it into an effective digital or static final map. The sessions are independent, but attending both is recommended to get the most out of the series. Participants are invited to use their own research project or idea as a basis for exploring the tool. Demo data will also be provided if needed. This workshop series is intended for those who have very little or no experience with GIS.
Each workshop is limited to 15 participants. Students enrolled in graduate programs in North America and early career researchers working in North America will be given priority. Registration is first come, first served.
Registration closes March 4, 2026.
To read a full description of the workshop series and register your interest, please visit https://maryjahariscenter.org/events/gis-basics-for-byzantinists.
Contact Brandie Ratliff (mjc...@hchc.edu), Director, Mary Jaharis Center for Byzantine Art and Culture, with any questions.
Ewa Wipszycka Warsaw Late Antique seminar - summer semester programme
On Thursday, 19 February, we are starting the new cycle of Thursday late antique seminars. Please, take a look at the programme. We like it very much!
Ewa Wipszycka Warsaw Late Antique Seminar. Summer Semester 202
19.02 Agnieszka Lic (Institute of Mediterranean and Oriental Cultures, PAS), Eastern Arabia and the Gulf in the Early Islamic Period: Archaeological Perspectives on the Christianisation, Islamisation, and Urbanisation of the Region
26.02 Mariusz Gwiazda (UW), Marmora Christiana? Marble Use and Distribution Patterns in the Early Byzantine Southern Levant
5.03 Julia Doroszewska (UW), Subversive Sainthood: Late Antique Hagiography as Evidence for Religious Mentality
12.03 Aaron Butts (University of Hamburg), The Connected Histories of Ethiopic and Syriac Christians
19.03 Korshi Dosoo (CNRS, UMR 8167 Orient et Méditerranée, Paris), Magic by the Psalms in the Coptic Tradition
26.03 Haggai Olshanetsky & Lev Cosijns (University of Oxford), Cluedo in the Eastern Desert: Who, or What, Killed Berenice and Myos Hormos? Plague, Climate, War or Competing Trade Routes
9.04 John Merrington (Austrian Academy of Sciences/University of Oxford), Rationality after Rome
16.04 Andrew Wilson (University of Oxford), The Archaeology of the Third-Century Crisis
23.04 Maria Mossakowska-Gaubert (CNRS, UMR 8167 Orient et Méditerranée, Paris /UW), Silk in Late Antique Egypt: Texts and Textiles
30.04 Anastasiia Lyakhovich (UW), Between Languages, Landscapes, and Power: Linguistic Strategies of Naming Space in Middle Byzantine and Medieval Armenian Hagiography
7.05 Mischa Meier (University of Tübingen), Jerusalem under Heraclius (610-641): Christians, Jews, Muslims, and the End of the World
14.05 Elisabeth R. O'Connell (British Museum), From Byzantium to Aksum: Displaying the Red Sea port of Adulis at the British Museum
21.05 Giulia Rosetto (University of Vienna), The Sinai Palimpsests and Their Contributions to the Study of Late Antique Greek Scripts and Texts
28.05 Kristina Sessa (Ohio State University), Disaster at Scale: Experiencing Ruinous Events in Late Antiquity
Time: Always on Thursday, 4.45 p.m.
Venue: Room 203 at the Faculty of Law, University of Warsaw
Online: Yes
Conveners: Agata Deptuła (agata....@uw.edu.pl) & Robert Wiśniewski (r.wisn...@uw.edu.pl)
2. CALL FOR PAPERS
XVIIe Rencontres de l'AEMB – Appel à communications / Call for papers
The Association des étudiants du monde byzantin is pleased to announce that the XVIIe Rencontres internationales des jeunes byzantinistes will take place on 2 and 3 October 2026. We look forward to gathering you around the following theme: ‘Innovating in New Rome: Thoughts, Practices, and Responses to Novelty in the Byzantine Worlds.’ You will find the call for papers attached and on our website (https://www.aembyzantin.com/), and we invite you to share it with your network.
Presentations, lasting twenty minutes, may be given in French or English. Proposals for papers (250 to 300 words), accompanied by a brief biography including the institution of affiliation, current level of study (master's, doctoral, post-doctoral) and research topic, should be sent to aemb....@gmail.com by 22 March 2025 at the latest.
Innovating in New Rome: Conceptions, Practices and Responses to Change in the Byzantine World
The common perception of Byzantium remains, by and large, that of a remarkably stable and highly conservative civilization. Its proclaimed fidelity to an age-old tradition going back to Antiquity, valued as a model to preserve and reproduce, has forged in the popular imagination the idea that it was essentially guardian of the past, leaving little place for innovation. yet, the undeniable continuity of this society could also be likened to the ship of Theseus: a living body, renewed piece by piece till it was wholly unrecognizable.
Furthering this approach, an increasing number of scholars, from Anthony Littlewood on originality in Byzantine art to Raúl Estangüi Gómez on institutional adaptation in the Palaeologan period, not to mention Joanita Vroom on the renewal of ceramic forms and uses, has worked to question the picture of immobility inherited from the Enlightenment and has emphasized that New Rome always knew how to lead and accompany profound transformations, be they political, religious, social, technical or cultural.
Attentive to this contrast between apparent fidelity to tradition and the ordinary reality of change, the AEMB sets out to question the concept of innovation in the Byzantine world, broadly conceived (North Africa, Egypt, Near-East, Anatolia, Caucasus, Cyprus, Greece, Balkans and Orthodox Slavic world, Italy, etc.), on the occasion of the 17th International Gathering of Young Byzantinists.
What is understood as “innovation” in a society which seems, at first glance, to reproduce models from the past with little variation? Among many other things, the evolution of production and construction techniques, the transformation of codicological and graphic practices, military adaptations as well as iconographic and aesthetic shifts provide fertile ground to observe the practical conditions of change. These evolutions invite us to question the conditions under which knowledge, techniques and models circulate, and likewise their reception within the various publics and spaces of the Byzantine world, including relations with neighboring societies.
To what extent was change conceptualized, acknowledged, or on the contrary concealed or rejected by Byzantine actors themselves? Judicial reforms, dogmatic evolutions, intellectual mutations, liturgical or administrative transformations all bear witness to moments of renewal, which in turn generated movements of resistance. Studying responses to novelty – acceptance, adaptation, rejection, reaction – allows us to better grasp the tension between innovation and conservatism, best expressed through the case of invented traditions, which appear with remarkable clarity in the context of theological disputes, wherein the border between orthodoxy and heresy found itself constantly redefined. It is likewise necessary to question the role of key actors in the production, diffusion and regulation of knowledge and practices: governing elites, but also religious dignitaries, administrators, literati and scholars, artisans and traders. Should innovation be defined as rupture, progressive evolution, or the creative reelaboration of existing forms? Is it a relevant category to understand the Byzantine world, or is it an anachronistic projection artificially imposed upon the past? Thinking about innovation must also involve a consideration of the terms and notions used by Byzantine documents themselves to conceptualize novelty, so as to confront them with the way modern scholars have imagined, defined, or to the contrary denied the existence of innovation in Byzantium.
Through these thematic strands, it is hoped the 17th International Gathering of Young Byzantinists will contribute to rethink the way change and novelty were perceived, adopted or contested in the wider Byzantine world, and to show that Byzantium, far from being a mere repository of inherited, if not static practices, can and should be envisaged as a space for constant readjustment, experimentation and creation. Presentations may address one or more of the following, non-exhaustive, list of topics:
• Evolution of techniques and renewal of
agrarian and productive systems
• Iconographic and artistic innovations
• Linguistic innovations, borrowings, reappropriations
• Innovation and tradition in scholarly thought
• Theological innovation, orthodoxy, heresy
• Justice, the Church, institutions
• Perceptions, reactions, claims and resistance to change
• Actors of innovation
• Circulations, contacts and transfers
• Definitions, uses and terminology in the languages of the Byzantine world
• Temporalities and spatialities of innovation
• The historiography of innovation in Byzantium
Presentations should last about 20 minutes and may be given either in English or in French. Proposals (250 to 300 words), accompanied by a short biographical note including the author’s current institution, level of study (Masters, PhD, postdoctoral) and subject of research should be sent to aemb....@gmail.com by the 22nd of March, 2026.
The Gathering will be held in person, in Paris – at the Institut national d’histoire de l’art and at the Institut des civilisations (Collège de France), on the 2nd and 3rd of October, 2026. The AEMB may consider contributing to travel costs for participants unable to receive funding from their home institution – in such a case, they are kindly requested to state so when submitting their abstract. Successful applicants are required to join the AEMB and pay a membership fee of 15 €.
The Meetings will be held in person in Paris, at the Institut national d'histoire de l'art and the Institut des civilisations du Collège de France, on 2 and 3 October 2026. The AEMB may contribute to travel expenses for candidates who are unable to obtain funding from their home institution: they are kindly requested to indicate this when submitting their proposal. Successful applicants will be required to join the AEMB and pay a membership fee of 15 €.
Thank you in advance for your consideration. We look forward to receiving your submissions.
CfP ELTA-3: Third Meeting on Late Antique Literature (Salamanca, 7-8 May 2026)
The international workshop «ELTA-3: Third Meeting on Late Antique Literature» will take place on 7–8 May 2026 at the University of Salamanca, as part of the activities organised by the GIR MEDITAMen (Mediterráneo Tardo-Antiguo y Medieval) and the Research Project «INTERPOLITA: Contactos interculturales en el polisistema literario tardoantiguo: s. IV d.C.», both based at the University of Salamanca.
The third edition of the workshop will focus on late antique culture (4th–6th centuries AD). One session —in line with the goals of the INTERPOLITA project— will be entirely devoted to interculturality in the late antique Mediterranean. The aim of the workshop is to address as broad a range as possible of topics concerning the cultural manifestations of the period and their reflection in written sources.
Paper proposals may address any form of research —artistic, archaeological, literary, material, or hybrid— related to cultures or languages with a significant presence in the late antique Mediterranean, including (but not limited to) Latin, Greek, Hebrew, Syriac, Coptic, and Armenian. Proposals extending beyond this time frame (4th–6th centuries AD) may be considered on an exceptional basis, provided they are directly or indirectly connected to Late Antique culture.
The keynote lecture will be delivered by Prof. Dr. L. Van Hoof (Ghent University).
Scholars wishing to participate are invited to submit an abstract of no more than 250 words that further includes a title, a short bibliography (max. 10 references), and a brief academic profile (max. 200 words), by Monday, 9 March 2026. Submissions should be sent to the email address: organiza...@gmail.com. The attached PDF or WORD file must contain the applicant’s first and last name, institutional affiliation, and contact email address. Accepted languages are English and Spanish. Early-career researchers, including master’s and PhD students, are particularly encouraged to apply.
Applicants will be notified of the decision of the Scientific Committee by email before 23 March 2026. Papers will be allocated 15 minutes for presentation, followed by 5 extra minutes for discussion. Participation in the workshop is subject to the payment of a small registration fee.
SCIENTIFIC COMMITTEE
Jesús Hernández Lobato (USAL)
Óscar Prieto Domínguez (USAL)
ORGANISING COMMITTEE
José Alberto Díaz Valero (SNS/USAL)
Letizia Seoane Zangrando (USAL)
Marta Serra Marí (USAL)
Juan Carlos Silvestre Payá (USAL)
CFP: Healing in Anatolian Culture, September 24-26, 2026
We invite researchers and academics to participate with abstract submissions in the symposium entitled “Healing in Anatolian Culture,” to be organized by the Center for Cappadocian and Cultural Studies at the main campus of Cappadocia University in Mustafapaşa, on September 24-26, 2026.
The symposium aims to explore the epistemological and practical dimensions of healing knowledge in Anatolia at the intersection of diverse disciplines, including Art History, Archaeology, History, Architecture, Literature, Gastronomy, Folklore, and Cultural Studies. The scope of inquiry focuses on key analytical themes such as visual culture, identity, image, and cultural continuity within the context of traditional healing practices. Additionally, one of the symposium’s objectives is to draw attention to the central role played by female healers, including saints, folk midwives, herbalists, and ritual practitioners, in the transmission of cultural heritage and knowledge.
The symposium languages are Turkish and English, and papers are accepted in both languages. Abstracts must be submitted by 22 May 2026 to sifaina...@kapadokya.edu.tr. Abstracts should be limited to 300 words and include a title and keywords. Accepted papers will be announced on 26 June 2026.
https://sifainanatolia.kapadokya.edu.tr/en/call-for-papers/
Call for proposals: 'Late Antique Encounters' 2027, organized by the Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity
Late Antique Encounters
International Conference organized by the Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity
3-5 February 2027 | Ghent University, Belgium
Once relegated to the shadows between "classical" and "medieval," Late Antiquity—roughly the third through eighth centuries CE—has emerged as one of the most vibrant fields in ancient studies. From art historians uncovering the visual revolution of early Christian mosaics to linguists mapping changes in idiom and the increasing variety of languages, from archaeologists mapping trade networks across three continents to literary scholars exploring the reinvention of classical genres and the rise of a new literary aesthetics, Late Antiquity attracts an ever-growing community of scholars whose diverse approaches continue to transform our understanding of this pivotal age.
The Ghent Centre for Late Antiquity, itself a microcosm of this scholarly diversity, proudly presents the inaugural ‘Late Antique Encounters’ Conference—a forum designed to capture and celebrate the field's remarkable breadth and methodological richness. We envision Late Antiquity as a crossroads where multiple disciplines converge. Whether you approach the period through papyrology or prosopography, numismatics or narratology, linguistics or art history, this conference wants to offer space for dialogue across traditional boundaries. We seek to create an environment where a historian studying Coptic tax receipts might discover connections with a literary scholar analyzing Syriac poetry, where an archaeologist excavating a Gallic villa can engage with a theologian parsing conciliar debates or a linguist studying lexical phenomena. Moreover, this conference embraces interdisciplinarity not only through collaboration among diverse fields within late antique studies, but also by fostering dialogue between late antiquity and other historical periods, including its reception and enduring influence.
Beyond such unexpected encounters, the conference aims at originality by facilitating conversations that support our research needs, where scholars can present problems rather than solutions. In addition to individual presentations, we dedicate ample space for broader methodological discussions, digital innovations, and assessments of where the field is heading.
A key goal of the organizers is to foster intergenerational exchange. As Late Antiquity’s future lies in nurturing emerging voices while building on foundational insights, we particularly encourage participation from graduate students and early-career researchers alongside established scholars.
Rather than imposing thematic constraints, the conference adopts multiple formats to suit various academic purposes. Its program, flexible by design, will accommodate:
? Round tables for collaborative reflection and with a focus on debate
? Work-in-progress sessions for testing new ideas and methodologies, or for collaborative discussion of primary sources
? Thematic panels for sustained exploration of specific topics
? State-of-the-Art sessions and retrospective discussions on influential scholarship
? Book launches and presentations of recently launched book series and research projects
? Poster and/or video presentations, allowing the brief presentation of recently started research
The organizing committee invites two types of proposals:
- Complete session proposals (90 minutes): Session organizers determine the format (see list above, yet other formats are also welcome) and coordinate with their chosen participants. Proposals of this type ideally present a complete list of participants, though the organizing committee is open to receiving proposals from aspiring panel organizers with an innovative idea and looking to be paired with suitable participants. Proposals can also include double sessions (90 + 90 minutes).
- Proposals for individual contributions: These will be grouped thematically by the committee and must indicate which of the above formats they are envisaged for. Individual contributions may be either 20 minutes (thematic panels and state-of-the-art sessions), 10 minutes (round tables, work-in-progress sessions, and book/project presentations), or 5 minutes (poster/video presentations).
Confirmed keynote speakers: Jaś Elsner (University of Oxford), Corisande Fenwick (University College London), Adam Ledgeway (University of Bergamo), and Karin Schlapbach (Université de Fribourg)
Please submit proposals by 15 May 2026 to gc...@ugent.be. Proposals may be submitted in English, French, or German, must indicate the affiliation of the participant(s), and should not exceed 300 words (individual contributions) / 600 words (session proposals). All proposals will be submitted to peer review. Acceptance may be dependent on constraints of space and coherence or overlap with other proposals. Notifications about participation will be sent out by 15 July 2026.
For more information and questions, visit www.gcla.ugent.be/laec-2027, or contact us via gc...@ugent.be.
3. JOBS AND SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES
The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) possible funding for young researchers from the Middle East to visit Germany for a three month research visit
The World Academy of Sciences for the Advancement of Science in Developing Countries (TWAS) and the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG, German Research Foundation) offer the opportunity of a three month visit for researchers in early career phases and of all disciplines from Algeria, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Palestine, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen.
Important: You must have a host at a German University to support your application, with a strong plan.
https://www.dfg.de/en/news/news-topics/announcements-proposals/2026/ifr-26-08
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Madeleine Duperouzel
DPhil in History
President, Oxford University Byzantine Society
http://oxfordbyzantinesociety.wordpress.com