Connections and Divisions:
Landscape Features of the Ancient World
The Classics Department at the CUNY Graduate Center invites scholars to submit proposals for papers that explore the complex interplay between geography and society in the ancient world. Our hybrid conference, scheduled for May 2, 2025, will be held in person at the Graduate Center in Manhattan and online via Zoom. The event will investigate how landscape features such as rivers, mountains, and other natural elements function as both connectors and boundaries, shaping cultural narratives and societal interactions. We are particularly interested in how these geographical elements are interpreted in myths and legends, as well as how they inform human experiences and the concept of borders in antiquity.
This year’s Keynote Speaker is Dr. Prudence Jones from Montclair State University.
We welcome submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
- The role of natural boundaries, such as rivers and mountains, in defining cultural identities and facilitating or hindering interaction among different societies.
- The symbolic significance of water and landscape features in mythology, including their dual nature as life-giving and destructive forces.
- The impact of artificial geographic divisions created by imperial policies, infrastructure, and literary tropes, and how these boundaries were transcended through trade, travel, and migration.
- The exploration of liminal spaces, such as caves and groves, that create sacred or secluded environments and their cultural implications.
We encourage innovative and interdisciplinary approaches that examine how landscapes serve as both connectors and divisors within cultural, historical, and mythological frameworks. This conference is open to scholars from all fields, not just Classics, and we welcome diverse perspectives that engage with the theme. Proposals should include a title and an abstract of no more than 300 words, with an optional bibliography.
Please submit abstracts in PDF format to cunyclassicsconference@gmail.com no later than January 31, 2025. Decisions will be made anonymously; kindly include personal details, such as your full name and affiliation, in the body of your email. Notifications to all applicants will be sent by February 28, 2025.
For questions, please contact the co-organizers: Nan Coffey, Kevin Nobel, and Elizabeth Tsang.
