Call for Papers
The conference “Europe’s journey through the ages: history and reception of an ancient myth” will take place in Strasbourg, on May 11, 2017.
The myth of Europe is attested as soon as the 8th century BC, in the Homeric poems and in Hesiod’s Theogonia. This myth was indeed very popular from Antiquity on, giving rise to different revisions in the literary European productions, as well as in the artistic, theatrical, musical, philosophical ones. It had, therefore, great influence until nowadays in shaping and modelling some visions, figures and images in building theories connected to the debate around the influence of Graeco-Roman culture into the development of the idea of Europe.
In an essay titled Europe Vagabonde (in L’univers, les dieux, les hommes: récits grecs des origines, Paris: Seuil, 2000), J.-P. Vernant defines the myth of Europe, kidnapped by Zeus from Syria to Greece, and the resulting establishment of Cadmus’ dynasty in Thebes, as the history of a “vagabondage, plus encore que passage”, underlining the pluralistic, dynamic, multicultural perspectives at the bases of this myth of the origins.
The present international, multidisciplinary graduate Conference aims to join different cultural perspectives about the reception, transmission and usage of the ancient myth of Europe.
Confirmed keynote speakers: Prof. Laurent Pernot (Université de Strasbourg, Member of the Institut de France); Prof. Luigi Spina (Università di Napoli Federico II)
We welcome proposals from Phd Students and early career Researchers in the following fields: Classics, Modern Literatures, Philosophy, Religions Studies, Visual and Performing Arts.
Papers could focus on the following topics:
– The reception and use of the myth of Europe in philosophy and politics, in connection with the construction of symbols, images, conceptions and theories of the idea of Europe;
– The tradition and reception of the myth of Europe in Ancient literatures up to contemporary literature;
– New perspectives in the etymological researches about the term Europa;
– Comparative approaches to the analysis of the myth in the frame of the interrelations between Western and Eastern mythology;
– The reception and reuse of the myth of Europe in modern and contemporary artistic, theatrical, cinematographic and musical productions;

Contributions related to a general assessment about the trends of the influence and permanence of Classics in European culture are also welcome.
The University of Strasbourg will be glad to welcome participants in the European capital, the most suitable place to share ideas and perspectives on Europe in an international frame.
Abstracts of maximum 300 words must be sent as an anonymous attachment (i.e. the file must not contain the name of the author) no later than 28th February 2017 to mythedeurope@gmail.com (email subject: Mythe d’Europe 2017 Abstract). All papers should be planned for a maximum of 30 minutes, including 20 minutes for the presentation and 10 minutes for discussion.
The official languages of the conference will be French and English.Papers will be selected by the scientific committee following a double blind procedure. Confirmed speakers will be notified no later than 20th March 2017.
The Conference is promoted by the Centre d’Analyse des Rhétoriques Religieuses de l’Antiquité (CARRA EA3094) and the Faculté des Lettres of the University of Strasbourg, with the support of the Programme Doctoral International (PDI), the Strasbourg Association of International Researchers (StrasAir) and the association Rodopis – experience ancient History.
Certificates of attendance, if needed, will be released at the end of the conference.
Sincerely,

Maria Consiglia Alvino, Phd Student (Università di Napoli Federico II – Université de Strasbourg)

Matteo Di Franco, Phd Student (Università di Palermo – Université de Strasbourg)

Federica Rossetti, Phd Student (Università di Napoli Federico II – Université de Strasbourg)

Gabriella Rubulotta, Phd Student (Université de Strasbourg)