March 4-5, 2011

McCune Conference Room

Interdisciplinary Humanities Center

University of California, Santa Barbara

An International Conference Exploring the Enduring Influence of Premodern Catholic Spirituality on Expressions of Postmodern Theory and the Study of Contemporary Religious Phenomena

DESCRIPTION:

This conference investigates the influences of premodern Catholic mystical and ascetic spirituality on formulations of postmodern theory (psychoanalytic, phenomenological, poststructuralist, feminist, gender and sexuality, hermeneutics, theory of religion), as well as its bearing upon the study of contemporary religious phenomena.

CALL FOR PAPERS:

We invite papers that juxtapose elements of Medieval Catholic mystical and ascetic practices, texts, or spirituality with postmodern theory, including papers that investigate connections between premodern and postmodern figures. Proposals engaging thinkers who stand on the boundaries of what might be properly “Medieval” or “postmodern” (e.g. Late Antique, Early Modern, 19th Century Continental Philosophy) are also welcome. In addition, we are interested in papers that demonstrate how the premodern Catholic tradition can be or has been engaged as a constructive theoretical resource for the study of contemporary religious phenomena.

Submission guidelines: Please submit proposals (300 words maximum) by December 15, 2010. Email proposals to Bradley B. Onishi and Rico G. Monge: medieval.postmodern@gmail.com

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS:

Professor David Albertson, University of Southern California, on Nicholas of Cusa and Deleuze Dr. Maria José A. de Abreu, University of Lisbon, on Sebastianism and Fernando Pessoa Professor Thomas Carlson, University of California, Santa Barbara, on Augustine and Heidegger

Presented by the Virgil Cordano, OFM, Endowment in Catholic Studies in the Department of Religious Studies, UCSB