CFP: THE WORLD OF ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI
Deadline 15 October
17-19 June 2015, Siena, Italy. Conference organized by Meredith College, SUNY Geneseo, and University of Portland. When Jorge Bergoglio became the first pope to choose the name Francis, it served as a reminder of Francis of Assisi’s profound effect on the world in the eight centuries since his death. During his lifetime, Francis challenged religious, social, and economic norms and helped reenergize a Church under assault. He founded the most popular religious order of the Middle Ages, and from the thirteenth century up to the present, Franciscans have attracted devotees from Assisi to Latin America and beyond. The program committee invites proposals for papers on any number of topics that consider the legacy of Francis and the Franciscans including: The history of the Franciscan order; The meaning and significance of Franciscan art in its medieval, Renaissance, Post-Reformation, and modern contexts; Francis’ legacy of interfaith dialogue and peacemaking; Female orders of Franciscan nuns, including the Poor Clares and Clarissan Nuns; Francis’ economic, social, and environmental views and their legacy; Franciscan spirituality, poverty, or the teaching of St. Francis to modern audiences.

This conference is open to scholars from all academic disciplines, including history, art history, literature, English, theology, philosophy, Church history, and environmental studies. In addition to individual papers, the program committee will also entertain proposals for special sessions (3 papers) and panel discussions on a particular topic. We welcome 250-word abstracts of papers (20 minutes), with an additional short CV. All proposals will be reviewed by the conference committee. Proposals (in a PDF file, or in Word) should be sent as an email attachment by October 15, 2014. Notification of acceptance will be sent by November 15, 2014. The conference will be held in Siena at the Siena School for the Liberal Arts. It will include keynote lectures by William Cook (Distinguished Teaching Professor of History, Emeritus, SUNY Geneseo) and Ron Herzman (Distinguished Teaching Professor of English, SUNY Geneseo). A dinner for conference participants is planned for Saturday night, as well as an excursion to Assisi with a guided tour for Sunday.

All participants are responsible for their own lodging and travel arrangements. No travel funding is available. The registration fee for the conference will be $180, with a discount for early registration before December 1, 2015 ($160). The fee includes Saturday’s group dinner. For more information on the venue, transportation, and lodging options, please click here.

Organizing committee:
Bradley R. Franco (University of Portland)
Weston Kennison (SUNY Geneseo)
Beth Mulvaney (Meredith College)
Mario Ascheri (Università Roma 3)