**Pre-CfP**

Social Networking in the Early Middle Ages

31 August – 2 September 2017

@ Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands

Networks of Knowledge (NoK) & Networks and Neighbours (N&N) – two projects dedicated to interrogating social and intellectual connectivity, competition and communication between people, places and things in Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages – come together to bring you an international and interdisciplinary conference – NoK’s first and N&N’s fourth - on social networking in the Early Middle Ages.

The research of the conference will explore the existence, performance and sustainability of diverse scholarly, intellectual and material assemblages and topographies – networks – over a broad frame of reference. The temporal and geographical boundaries of the conference are, as of yet, flexible; they will be narrowed as the program selection and formation process progresses.

We will engage manuscripts, artifacts and, yes, theories across the course of five panels framed by two categories: people and history & ideas and society. The first references networks of scholars, thinkers, writers, and the social and political histories related to their productions. The second imagines the transmission of 'knowledge', as information, as rhetoric and dialectic, as object, and as epistemic grounding.

There will be two keynote speakers and four established moderators across five panels composed of two speakers, who will be either postgraduates or early career scholars. Eight to ten speakers will be chosen through a rigorous peer-reviewed selection process via the forthcoming CfP. The conference is entirely free and open to anyone, and all presenters will have their accommodation covered. Meals will be provided during the conference, and select travel costs will be reimbursed (more details in the CfP).

The results of the conference will be published by N&N, in association with NoK, as an open-access edited volume, subject to double-blind peer-review.

To register initial interest, suggest a paper or panel, or have questions please contact either Dr. Michael J. Kelly (for research before the 9^th century) at: networksandneighbours@gmail.com or Dr. Sven Meeder at s.meeder@let.ru.nl (for research from the 9^th century).

Although the journal is archived, N&N continues to publish independently and in entirely free open-access, CC format.

We are pleased to announce the first publication of the year: "The Transformation of Late Antiquity 1971 – 2015" by Ian N. Wood.

For this and all future 2016 publications see the tab 'N&N Articles 2016'.

Networks and Neighbours is in the midst of some significant transformations. We will be back in touch shortly with the new format of N&N.

Call for Papers for N&N - Vol. 4: ‘World History’

The 2016 issues of Networks and Neighbours will be dedicated to exploring the concept of ‘world history’ in the context of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages.

As usual for N&N, we see several possible readings of this issue’s theme – both historical and historiographical – which will allow a diversity of responses. From a historical perspective, ‘universal’ or ‘world’ history was one of the most notable ways in which late antique and early medieval authors constructed their histories and chronicles, beginning with the Chronicle of Eusebius, which was continued in myriad forms and spawned many imitators. What provoked authors to attempt to write this sort of history? What limitations did they face? Above all, can this really be considered a ‘genre’ in the modern sense? Meanwhile, from a historiographical perspective, modern scholars are increasingly aware of the need to approach the discipline of history globally, abandoning traditional national and continental limitations in order to provide comparisons between concurrent developments in different parts of the world. The benefits of such an approach are readily apparent, especially for historians of the Byzantine and Islamic worlds, as are the potentials for collaboration with scholars whose training lies wholly outside the western historiographical tradition. But what are the dangers of such comparative approaches? And is it even possible to speak or write of a ‘global’ Early Middle Ages?

We welcome papers on any of these topics as well as any other related issues, perspectives, and interpretations. We encourage papers dealing with historiographical questions, and also enquiries about the role of early medieval historians in public dialogue. As is the tradition of Networks and Neighbours, these suggestions are not meant to be prescriptive. Though we look forward to submissions which question, develop, or reject altogether our plural notions and interpretations of ‘world history’, we also welcome submissions on any other aspect of Late Antiquity and the Early Middle Ages, which fits with the overall philosophy of Networks and Neighbours.

Abstracts for proposed articles should be received by 31 August 2015, with full papers to be submitted electronically by 30 September 2015. Articles received after this date but before 15 March 2016 will be considered for publication in the July 2016 issue. Prospective articles will be between 6,000-10,000 words (including footnotes but excluding the bibliography), prepared for blind review, and accompanied by an article summary of approximately 250 words. In addition to scholarly articles the editors of N&N also invite book reviews as well as reports from conferences, exhibitions, masterclasses and other relevant events. As always, Networks and Neighbours will accept articles in any modern language, although an English abstract is required for all submissions.

Past issues of Networks and Neighbours, as well as full guidelines about formatting and online submission, can be found at: networksandneighbours.org. If you have any further questions please contact us at: networksandneighbours@gmail.com.

Upcoming Calls for Papers:

N&N Vol. 5 (2017) ‘Big History’

Following a volume on ‘world history’, N&N will explore the emerging field of ‘Big History’, which interrogates the history of humanity and ontology in light of the general history of life and the universe.

N&N Vol. 6 (Jan 2018)

Now accepting proposals: further details to follow.

Please circulate the pdf below to anyone who may be interested.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=0Bxrcs6sZeRj0Y29abTNlLWJhSkk&authuser=0

Law, Custom and Ritual in the Medieval Mediterranean

Registration now open!

‘Law, Custom and Ritual in the Medieval Mediterranean’

13-15 July 2015

4th International Conference of the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean Conference 

The fourth biennial conference of the Society for the Medieval Mediterranean will take place at the University of Lincoln from Monday 13 July to Wednesday 15 July 2015.

The theme of the conference is 'Law, Custom and Ritual in the Medieval Mediterranean'. The keynotes will be delivered by Professor Maribel Fierro (CSIC, Madrid: “Obedience to the ruler in the Medieval Islamic West: legal and historical perspectives”) and Dr Andrew Marsham (University of Edinburgh: “Rituals of accession in early Islam: a comparative perspective”).

To register please go to the conference website through the University of Lincoln:  

www.lincoln.ac.uk/home/campuslife/whatson/eventsconferences/society-for-the-medieval-mediterranean.html

OR the the Society's homepage:

http://www.societymedievalmediterranean.com