CFP: Transforming Antiquities in the Midwest

Transforming Antiquities in the Midwest (TAiM) is a pre-read works-in-progress symposium for those engaging with transformative antiquities in the Greater Midwest area (broadly defined). For this conference, we are imagining transformative antiquities to include new approaches to ancient work, connections between the ancients and contemporary thought, comparative studies, and especially underrepresented figures and themes such as ancient women thinkers and more. We especially welcome interdisciplinary projects. 

Abstracts should be approximately (~250 words) are due by February 15th, 2027 and can be submitted through the website: https://krismclain.com/taim-transforming-antiquities-in-the-midwest/

About the Workshop: Selected presenters will be asked to send a paper of ~3000 words by May 1st to share with other workshop participants. The goal is to have a pre-read, day-long experience where folks at a variety of levels (advanced graduate students to full professors) can workshop current projects. There will be space for roughly five 45-minute sessions for individual speakers which will primarily be devoted to an engaged Q and A. Our goal is to foster an inviting and encouraging space for transformative work in the humanities, specifically for those engaging ancient Greek and Roman thought at the site of social identity, power, and social organization. This may include ancient Greek and Roman thought in relation to areas of contemporary concern, such as emerging technologies, techniques of racialization, reproductive politics, authoritarian government, environmental justice, containment and abolition practices, and more. Last year we had papers on Plato, Aristotle, necropolitics, the Illiad, reception studies, trans philosophy, and Mexican-American literature.