Witches and Queens, Whores and Libertines: Early Modern History on Screen
Historical films and TV series set in the early modern period abound, yet historians have only recently begun to trouble themselves with these popular representations of the past. Even in film and TV studies, discussion is more about form, technique and aesthetic context than content and message. What is lacking is a critical dialogue appraising these films and what their choice of subject matter and the way in which it is presented says about contemporary society and its relationship with the past.
This interdisciplinary conference seeks to bring together scholars from the fields of early modern history and literature, media and cultural studies and modern cultural history to discuss the representation of a particular period of history (c.1500-c.1800) on screen (whether in the cinema or on television). Participants are invited to offer papers on the heritage-film debate, historical film and collective memory, the role of historical productions in making history and its debates accessible, adaptations of early modern texts, the use of historical documentaries, or any other aspect of early modern history on screen.
Please send abstracts of not more than 300 words and a brief CV to the address below. Papers will be of 20 mins. duration and aimed at promoting discussion. Deadline for abstracts: 11 January 2008.
Dr Jonathan Durrant
Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
University of Glamorgan
Pontypridd
CF37 1DL
United Kingdom
