Sixth Annual Symposium on Medieval and Renaissance Studies, Saint Louis University

Saint Louis University
June 18-20, 2018

Proposal for Session or Roundtable Discussion
Title of Session: Creativity in Pedagogy: Explaining the Middle Ages, Engaging Students

In this session, presenters are invited to explore practical ways to introduce students to this time period, to engage them in the analysis of medieval cultures, and/or to reflect critically and from a pedagogical perspective on topics such as: 
- Why do certain medieval topics and types (i.e. the Arthurian world, heroes such as Prince Valiant, Spanish convivencia, etc.) exert such a degree of fascination in popular culture?
- What is the value of medieval studies and disciplines today? How can they be integrated into more comprehensive programs, such as a B.A. in Spanish?
- What resources are more successful in the classroom? Or, in other words, what are examples of effective (interdisciplinary) approaches to medieval texts in the classroom that engage students and facilitate the achievement of specific educational objectives?
- What materials for the teaching of the Middle Ages are still missing?

​Title of Session: Celestina and Beyond: Exploring the Abject in Medieval and Early Modern Literature. 

In this session, we welcome papers on all facets related to Celestina and its literary and historical contexts. In addition, we welcome presentations that deal with repulsive, disgusting, or execrable aspects (and their opposites) in medieval and early modern literature. Proposals can include, but are not limited to, the following categories: cruelty, inhumanity, impurity, misogyny, repugnance, dirt, “wrong” emotions, poverty, disorder, horror, ugliness, etc. The purpose of this panel is to understand what was considered execrable, repulsive, and/or objectionable at a historical moment; why it was deemed worthy of attention; and how the abject, with its uncomfortable questions, may give us a deeper insight into human nature.