Explaining Supernatural Nature: Mediations Between Image, Text and Object in the Middle Ages

This is an AHRC funded three day postgraduate conference organized under the Beyond Text Student-Led Initiatives Project. The content of the sessions is flexible to allow the presentations to be as innovative and exciting as possible. We may move sessions to early morning or night, or to locations outside the conference room. For example, a postgraduate working on medieval astronomy might like to demonstrate an astrolabe at night - St. Andrews has low levels of light pollution as well as the services of the University Observatory. There will be opportunities to demonstrate medieval drama and music which were meant to instruct their audience about the natural or supernatural world or students might, within the bounds of health and safety regulations, attempt to recreate alchemical practices. We are looking for postgraduates who wish to explore 'Beyond Text' - examining aspects of medieval text and image and the relationship of these to the 'real world'. We shall also be holding a poster session where postgraduates can illustrate their current research in an informal atmosphere.

The Conference will comprise of one half-day of registration, two full days of days of sessions and one half-day of concluding discussion and feedback. There will be up to eight 90 minutes sessions composed of up to three presentations.