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CALL FOR PAPERS: Manipulation of discourse in antiquity
Stellenbosch Winelands Classics
12-14 November 2018

This is an open invitation to scholars of antiquity to submit proposals for papers on the topic as set out below.

The conference aims to explore the phenomenon of discourse manipulation for the purpose of establishing and/or maintaining hegemony over views generally held by the public on a particular issue or event. The aim is to focus on calculated control over public opinion in the political, religious, social, or similar spheres. This would include narratives that invent, reshape or guard over a particular point of view or version and purposeful selective memory on the one hand, and narratives that contest, marginalize and suppress alternative views by ignoring, labelling and smearing opposing voices on the other. The conference organizers will consider papers in the fields of ancient history, literature and material culture concerned with any form of public discourse management and ‘limiting the spectrum of acceptable opinion’ (Chomsky).

Please submit titles and abstracts of approximately 300 words to Philip Bosman (bosmanpr@sun.ac.za) or Annemaré Kotze (ak5@sun.ac.za) by 31 May 2018.

More on the conference:

- Conference fee: R700 (c. $60) per day.

- Venue: Lanzerac Estate (http://www.lanzerac.co.za/).

- Transport: We will provide transport from Cape Town International Airport (40 mins drive) on 11 November, as well as between town centre accommodation and the conference venue on the conference days.

- Accommodation: Stellenbosch has numerous guesthouses, b&b’s and hotels in town from c. R1300 p.p.p.n. Convenient pickup from the group Roosenwijn, Bonne Esperance, Caledon Villa, Villa Grande, Die Laan, Fynbos, Malan’s.

- Excursion: a trip to Cape Town on 15 November for those interested.

Please note: The 19th Unisa Classics colloquium on ‘Making and Unmaking Memory’ is hosted in Pretoria on 7-10 November 2018, should you require further academic justification for a trip to SA.

The symposium will be hosted by the University of Stellenbosch with support from the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung.

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(Photo: "Handwritten" by A. Birkan, licensed under CC BY 2.0)