Postgraduate Conference ‒ Announcement and Call for Papers
St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London
will host a one-day Postgraduate Conference entitled
‘Digesting Modernity: An Interdisciplinary Study of Food’
on
Saturday 18th April 2015
Food sustains a discussion about historical, sociological, anthropological and political changes in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries both in Britain and abroad. Throughout the nineteenth century food production in England declined and the importation of foodstuffs from the colonies increased. This change in what and how food was eaten created anxieties about the role of women, inherent attitudes towards other races and the European perception of itself as the bastion of civilization. One unforeseen extension of importing food from distant lands was the growing problem of cannibalism through the shipwreck of merchant ships, a phenomenon which questioned societal codes of conduct and Victorian perceptions of morality. Food was used as a tool through which to examine political anxieties such as anarchy and capitalism, liberty and revolution. Food changed the status of women throughout the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, establishing them as moral agents of good cooking. Food crosses boundaries not just of race, class, nationality and gender, but across academic disciplines. This conference aims to bring together new and established views on how food can contribute to Modernist Studies.
Outline of the Conference
The conference will take the form of an interdisciplinary programme reflecting the diversity of current postgraduate work in food studies; it encourages contributions from new and established scholars working in the field of modernism who are eager to share their thoughts and research.
Papers considering food in literature, art, history, film, theatre or theological studies are welcome. Conference panels might include:
‘Food and Film’: Food as a cinematic motif, occasions of eating in film
‘The Politics of Food’: Vegetarianism/Veganism/Cannibalism
‘Economies of Food’: Famine/Gluttony
‘Aesthetics of Food’: Metaphorical eating, the art of food
‘Theology of Food’: The Eucharist, sacred food, sacrifice, religious symbolism of food
‘Food and Modern Literature’: Woolf, Joyce, Conrad, Zola, Hardy, Orwell, James
‘Food in the Media’: Journalism, advertising, cook books
Call for Papers
The School of Arts and Humanities invites proposals for papers for a Postgraduate Conference on ‘Digesting Modernity: An Interdisciplinary Study of Food’ to be held at St Mary’s University, Twickenham, London.
Proposals for papers of 20 minutes and for panels on all topics related to the representation of food in Modernism are invited.
Abstracts of about 300 words should be sent no later than 30th January 2015 in MS Word format to the conference organizer: kim.salmons@btinternet.com.
Confirmation of acceptance will be communicated within one week of the closing date.
Cost: The conference fee is £25 and includes lunch, tea and coffee.
Payment details: to be advised.
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