I am currently putting together the 2024 programme (January – June) of talks for Romancing the Gothic. We hold talks every week at the weekend and run each talk twice (time zones permitting!) to make sure as many people from as many time-zones as possible can join us.
Each talk fits in a one hour session, with approximately 40-45 minutes for the talk and 15 minutes for questions. We have a diverse audience from around the world and from all areas of specialism and interest. Each talk should aim at a general audience and be engaging for both experts and those encountering the field for the first time. We love people to present their own new research but we’re also look for overviews of common and popular subjects (see below for more details)
Romancing the Gothic talks are online and we welcome and encourage speakers from around the world.
We welcome academics and non-academics. We’re interested in expertise and interesting talks!
Each month has a different theme. You can find more details of topics and requests for each month below
January – The Supernatural in the Ancient World
We are looking for papers which explore aspects of the supernatural in history, literature and belief from the Ancient World. We are looking for a global perspective so particularly invite papers related to ancient cultures beyond Rome and Greece.
February – Horror and the Body
This month’s theme focuses on the body. We invite people to interpret that broadly. (We already have one talk booked for this month and it focuses on dance.) We welcome papers from all fields and areas that investigate ideas of horror and the body, including transformation, creation, body horror, death customs etc.
March – Classics
Due to popular demand, this year I am focusing on including teaching on ‘classic’ Gothic texts.
This month, I am specifically looking for talks on the following texts and topics
- A talk on Washington Irving’s ‘Sleepy Hollow’, its legacy and adaptation. (This talk should provide an overview but we also welcome new research perspectives)
- A talk on ‘real vampires’ – this can be a specific case study or include a broader range of exploration of specific cases or treatises written to explore the real existence of vampires
April – Horror in the Water
This month focuses on talks related to the water or things that live in it! We’re looking for talks from all fields – from marine biologists to folklore experts! We are looking for talks that explore the intersection of ‘horror’ and ‘water’, be it sea, river, lake or other.
I am also looking for a talk specifically on creature features
May – Creatures
This month’s talks are dedicated to different supernatural creatures in folklore, fiction, film and belief. We welcome talks from any tradition and encourage applications focusing on non-Western traditions. We welcome different perspectives including religious studies, sociology, folklore, literature, film studies and more!
June – Classics
This month is also dedicated to exploring some horror ‘classics’ and related fields. I am specifically looking for talks on the following
- A talk on the Brontes in adaptation. This talk can focus on any text or author and ‘adaptation’ can be broadly applied to both film and television adaptations. This talk should give something of an overview but we welcome new research perspectives.
- A talk on reimaginings of Jane Eyre from different perspectives. This may focus on one text or a series of texts. It should give something of an overview or introduction to the topic chosen but we also welcome new research perspectives.
If you would like to send a proposal for any of these topics, please send a 250 word ‘blurb’ or abstract to sam@romancingthegothic.com. There is no need to send a biography. Please send your proposals by 31st December 2023.
Please be aware that there is a ‘first come, first served’ system. If you leave it till the end date, it is unlikely that any places will remain.
Romancing the Gothic 