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21-24 : Quarrels, Polemics and Controversies An international conference
organised by THE INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR INTELLECTUAL HISTORY Trinity
College, Cambridge, UK. The intellectual world offers an ideal of tolerance,
brotherhood and peace; far from being mere rhetoric, such an ideal was
and is instrumental in many projects and their realisations. Nevertheless,
from Antiquity to the present day, no field of knowledge, no area of learning,
no discipline has escaped quarrels, polemics or
controversies during its formation or diffusion. These quarrels have
generated an enormous bibliography, but there is no modern, comprehensive
study of this phenomenon. This conference offers a forum for a general
enquiry into quarrels as a major form of the expression and organisation
of knowledge. What, it will ask, have been the status, place and
functions of quarrels in the intellectual world? Important axes for such
an enquiry might include the following: 1. HISTORIOGRAPHY AND DISCOURSE.
Studies in this area may include research on: ancient works reporting or
describing quarrels; concepts of polemics, quarrels, controversies, etc.;
the vocabulary used in describing and reporting quarrels; the discursive
modes used in works about quarrels; why people wrote about quarrels;
how a quarrel becomes an historiographic object. 2. MODES AND FORMS. Topics
may include: the dynamics of a quarrel (from the initial outbreak to its
conclusion; internal and external elements); difference of names and of
forms; rituals; the place and role of violence (verbal, psychological or
physical); specific "literary" genres produced or linked to quarrels (e.g.
pamphlets, satires, etc.) 3. POWER-GAMES AND STAKES. Studies may
be based on: quarrels as an expression of power; as a means of controlling
a discipline or an institution; the role of national and nationalistic
claims; priorities; personal pride and glory; financial or economic stakes.
4. ACTORS AND JUDGES. Questions in this area may include: how are
parties in a quarrel formed (individuals, groups, followers, partisans,
backers etc.)? What kind of division and re-composition of the cultural
and intellectual milieu is involved? Who defines or resolves the issue
of a quarrel? What are the roles of peers, learned institutions (e.g. academies,
university boards), external institutions (e.g. law courts)? 5. ORDERS
OF KNOWLEDGE. This may include studies on: debates over the positive or
negative role of quarrels; quarrels and "tradition"; quarrels and "official
science"; quarrels and truth; quarrels and authority; quarrels as contributing
to the definition of a field; polemic and proof; quarrels and ethics; theoretical
or philosophical examination of the epistemological status of quarrels.
Papers may draw on quarrels in any cultural field, European or non-European,
throughout history, including present-day topics. We welcome papers that
engage with at least one of the topics raised above. This list, however,is
neither prescriptive nor authoritative, and we are happy to consider proposals
for other kinds of analysis. Please contact the organisers (addresses below)
for further queries. We wish to emphasise, nevertheless,that we expect
contributions to extend beyond a purely narrative account of a particular
controversy. Interested scholars from any field are welcome. We particularly
encourage proposals from younger scholars, for whom a limited number of
residential grants will be available.
Proposals for papers and panels
Papers may be in English, French, German, Italian or Spanish; English
r駸um駸 will be provided by the speakers. The conference
will be organised in 90- or 120-minute sessions. Each session will
have a moderator or chair and at least 30 minutes for general discussion,
which will offer a crucial platform for debate and analysis.
Proposals for a panel should include the names of 3-4 speakers and of
the moderator; and a summary of each paper. Proposals for
an individual contribution should be an outline (1-2 pages) for a 20-minute
talk.
Please state clearly institutional affiliation and address, and preferred
method of communication (postal/fax/email).
Organisers
FRANヌOISE WAQUET, 36 rue de la Glaci鑽e, 75013, Paris, France
fwaquet@easynet.fr (no attachments)
EDOARDO TORTAROLO, edo@cisi.unito.it
(attachments accepted as RTF or TXT files)
Deadline for Proposals: 31 December 2000