Societas Daemonetica

Societas Daemonetica

Monday, May 30, 2011

Our New Home!

Check out our newly redesigned (and renamed) home at societasdaemonetica.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Kalamazoo 2011

Our first official Kalamazoo session is tomorrow, Thursday, May 12, at 1:30pm! Come out and hear our speakers! Brenda Carr will be talking about the continuance (or re-emergence?) of medieval devils on the Elizabethan stage; Anna Clarke will be talking about the Old English Soul and Body and what it tells us about conceptions of the afterlife; and Asa Mittman (President of MEARCSTAPA) will be presenting on the angelic fall in the Junius manuscript. It looks to be an interesting session, and we look forward to seeing you there!

Session 76 (Fetzer 2040): Hell Studies


Sponsor: Societas Daemoniaci

Organizer: Richard Burley, Boston College

Presider: Nicole E. Ford, Boston University

“ . . . o vile earth, worse for us devils, than hell it self for man!”: Why Helpful 
Devils of Medieval Exempla Re-emerge in Elizabethan Theaters
Brenda Carr, Univ. of Toronto

Re-animating the Flæschord: Resurrection, Regeneration, and Retribution in 
the Old English Soul and Body
Anna Clarke, Univ. of York

Tumbling toward Hell: The Space of Transformation in Junius 11
Asa Simon Mittman, California State Univ.–Chico

Monday, August 30, 2010

Deadine Extended for Kalamzoo Proposals

Those still interested in proposing a paper for our 2011 Kalamazoo "Hell Studies" session now have until September 15th to forward a proposal to Richard Burley at societas.daemoniaci AT gmail.com!

The original call for papers is here.

Friday, June 11, 2010

Call For Papers: Kalamazoo 2011

We just received word today that the Societas will have one session at the 2011 International Congress on Medieval Studies Kalamazoo next year. Hopefully not on Sunday at 8:00am! The CFP is below:

CFP: ICMS 2011 (May 12-15, 2011)

Hell Studies

Sponsored Session, Societas Daemoniaci

Across cultures and throughout the Middle Ages, the idea of Hell has haunted human-kind. In art, manuscripts like the Winchester Psalter and cathedral sculptures like those at Autun and Chartres stand as both private and public reminders of the punishment that awaits those who refuse to live a good and holy (and in many cases Christian) life; in literature, tellings of the Harrowing of Hell and stories of the Falls (both angelic and human alike) trace the development of Hell over time, through texts like the Old English Genesis A and B; in theatre, the devil and the fear of damnation have woven their ways into narratives for hundreds of years, for example in York Corpus Christi plays; and throughout history the hope of Heaven and the fear of Hell have motivated the actions of kings, priests and peasants alike.

This session, titled Hell Studies, will provide a forum for new research on the art, literature, theatre and history of Hell and its sometime residents -- the devils, demons and damned -- and their visual, textual, theatrical and historical development and depiction throughout the medieval period. Through the study of Hell and its associates, we can divine new truths about the cultures and beliefs of the people for whom Hell was, to them doubtlessly, a serious, physical reality and a part of their daily lives.

Anyone wishing to participate is encouraged to send a politely addressed query or proposal of no more than 500 words to Richard Burley, at societas.daemoniaci @ gmail.com, on or before the thirty-first day of August 2010. 

Monday, May 24, 2010

Kalamazoo 2010

Though not organized under the guise of the Societas Daemoniaci, our first session (organized by our North American coordinator) went brilliantly. Session 587 of the 2010 ICMS, Denizens of Hell: Devils, Demons and the Damned drew a respectable number of attendees (especially for 10:00am on Sunday!). Many thanks go out to our presenters: you've earned all the compliments that keep wandering our way. We'll keep our fingers crossed for more sessions next year, so we can expand on this success!

Our New Home

Welcome to the new, online home of the Societas Daemoniaci. Here is where you'll find updates regarding session proposals, calls for papers, interesting new publications and more.

For more information, write to North American coordinator Richard Burley or European coordinator Charlotte Kingston at "societas.daemoniaci at gmail.com".