15–17 October 2025 (University of Oslo)
Time: Oct. 15, 2025 – Oct. 17, 2025
In narratives, some characters invariably occupy more prominent roles than others. It would be almost impossible to narrate anything complicated if every single character received exactly the same amount of space in the story as every other. In medieval history writing, the unevenness with which attention, space, and importance are distributed throughout texts is strongly correlated with type. Emperors, kings, clergymen, and other elite men, tend to receive a greater proportion of narrative attention than labourers, women, eunuchs, slaves, soldiers, and foreigners. The narrative hierarchies of medieval historiographical corpora are often reflected in the modern historiographical narratives, which deploy them as source material. This remains true today, even after multiple waves of revisionist historiography have sought to decentre the lives and deeds of ‘great men’.
Although the composition of and hierarchies within historiographical casts of characters are of central importance to medieval history writing, it has rarely been delineated as the explicit object of analysis. This conference aims to bring different types of scholars and approaches to historiographical texts in the discussion of the casts of characters in medieval history writing. Particular emphasis will be placed on the types of characters which tend to be marginalised within historiography, medieval and modern, whilst acknowledging that such characters can only be studied within a wider systematic frame.
This call for papers invites contributions concerning specific medieval historiographical narratives, corpora, and minor characters from any medieval tradition. It also welcomes theoretical papers that draw on the narratology, the philosophy of history, or other critical traditions to think more systematically about minor characters in (medieval) historiographical narrative. Papers that combine both medieval and theoretical considerations and/or extend their contributions to consider the reception or transformation of minor characters in modern historiography are particularly welcome.
Questions and topics could include, but are in no way limited to:
- Which types of characters are prioritised and which are marginalised in specific narratives, corpora, and traditions?
- How do specific characterisations reinforce or subvert typological expectations concerning their narrative centrality or marginality?
- Comparison between the character systems and narrative hierarchies of different medieval historiographical traditions
- How can narrative theory change the study of medieval historiography? How does the study of medieval historiography challenge modernist narrative theories of character?
Short papers (c. 20 minutes) will be combined with roundtable discussions. The travel expenses and accommodation of participants will be covered by the project [pending final confirmation of funds].
Please send an abstract (max 300 words) and brief professional bio, including name and affiliation, (max 100 words) to matthew.kinloch@ifikk.uio.no by 17 April 2025.
Organizer
Matthew Kinloch and Research Research projects Narrative Hierarchies: Minor Characters in Byzantine and Medieval History Writing
Source : University of Oslo















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