Call for Papers ‘Possesso: Entries and Ceremonies of Possession in the Early Modern World’
Sixteenth Century Studies Conference 2015,
Possesso: Entries and Ceremonies of Possession in the Early Modern World
Vancouver, BC, Canada –22-25 October 2015
Taking possession of lands, cities, churches, or offices could be fraught with logistical, ceremonial, legal, and diplomatic difficulties. However, the benefit of wealth and power that came from acquisition often outweighed the cost. This series of panels will investigate all aspects of the organization, negotiation, presentation, and depiction of entries and ceremonies of possession, both secular and ecclesiastical.
Presentations could focus on the following issues throughout the long sixteenth century (1450-1650 CE):
- The visual and/or musical culture that accompanied entries and ceremonies
- Disjunctures between intention, experience, and depiction
- The city or church as a site for ceremonies or markers of possession
- Negotiating hierarchy and social position through entries
- Taking possession by proxy
- Military versus ceremonial possession ceremonies
- The legality of possession ceremonies and conflicting claims of possession
Please send a title and 200-word abstract of the proposed presentation to Jennifer Mara DeSilva (jmdesilva@bsu.edu). Please detail any A/V requirements that you might need. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is 7 April 2015.
