4 min read‘Absent Presences’ is the title of a unique two-day conference taking place at Manchester Metropolitan University on the 27 and 28 June 2019 – delving into shifting the core and peripheries of the Gothic mode, with confirmed keynotes from Professor Fred Botting (Kingston University) and Professor Maisha Wester (Indiana University Bloomington).
Aiming to expand the Gothic ‘canon’ beyond the traditional texts and establish a wider definition of the mode: this is a conference with a distinct and refreshing approach. The Gothic could be considered after all an ever-transforming field, emerging in various cultural subjects and demonstrating a diverse impact; areas this conference actively seeks to explore, now taking submissions for papers to be part (deadline 15 April 2019), with more details below.
According to the team behind the conference itself, it will be two-day consideration of the ever-changing Gothic aesthetic and a celebration of the variety within the Gothic mode, aimed especially at postgraduate students and early-career researchers:
“Our intention for the 'Absent Presences: shifting the core and peripheries of the Gothic mode' conference is for the first day to run a number of panels alongside our two confirmed keynotes. On the second day it will feature a Manchester Metropolitan University showcase of MA and PhD students presenting their research, workshops relating to the study of the Gothic, and a roundtable discussion between our keynotes on the conference's theme.”
The full organisational team are Hayley Louise Charlesworth, Charlotte Gislam, Charlotte Gough, Maartje Weenink, Catherine Elkin, Spencer Meeks, Alicia Edwards, Andreea Ros, Rachid M'Rabty and Katherine Burn, adding on reflection:
“The purpose of this conference is to shed light on the neglected aspects of Gothic studies, from representation of marginalised groups both in text and in authorship, to under-explored media types such as new media and online video. We aim to expand the ‘Gothic canon’ beyond the traditional texts and perspectives, and aim to establish a new, wider definition of what can be considered Gothic.”
Manchester Metropolitan University after all seems like a ripe location to host such a conference, as not only home to The Manchester Centre for Gothic Studies, but has also hosted The Gothic Manchester Festival since 2013, the sixth edition which took place in August 2018 on the theme of ‘Gothic Hybridities’ – again, highlighting the expanding nature of the mode. 2018 also saw Manchester host the renowned International Gothic Association (IGA) Conference.
It is in turn no wonder that 'Absent Presences: shifting the core and peripheries of the Gothic mode' has attracted the attention of two, now confirmed, keynote speakers who are highly regarded in the field. Professor Fred Botting (Kingston University) is recognised for his extensive work on the likes of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, as well as wider horror fiction and film; indeed, Professor Botting was recently recognised by the International Association for the Fantastic in the Arts (IAFA) with a lifetime achievement award. Professor Maisha Wester is Associate Professor in African American and African Diaspora Studies at Indiana University Bloomington. Her work often explores how the Gothic mode is considered across cultures.
Proposals for papers are encouraged from a wide range of disciplines – as a key part of investigating the cores, peripheries, centres and margins of the Gothic mode is to facilitate insight from fields which have not been traditionally regarded as Gothic: such as Games Studies, History, Fashion, African American Studies, African Studies and Asian Studies. Submissions are now open, welcoming proposals for 20 minute papers or coherent panels of three papers (with the latter given a 60 minute duration) which explore the conference themes.
Ideas for exploration include the representation of disability within the Gothic mode, the resonance of Regional Gothic, how the Gothic is represented on the Global stage and what is regarded as ‘Canonical’ and ‘non Canonical’ gothic.
Submissions should be between 200-250 words and a 50-word biography for individual papers and a title, rationale, paper abstracts and biography for each speaker in terms of the three-speaker panel – with all to be sent to absentpresencesmmu@gmail.com by the 15 April. There is also a Twitter page, where those interested can keep updated.
By Emily Oldfield
