Siena, baby!

by J J Cohen

In case you did not receive this. NCS: It isn't just for Chaucerians any more.

Dear New Chaucer Society Members,

It's a hard act to follow, but while the inspiring model of NCS Swansea is still fresh in our minds, it's time to start planning the sequel in Siena in 2010. We will aim to capitalize on the strengths of the Swansea conference, without seeking to duplicate it. It seems we can get by very well without nominating a specific theme, but the idea of strands or threads running through the congress seemed to be an effective strategy.

The Program Executive Committee will meet in January. Members of the Advisory Committee will be asked to convene a thread for the congress, including at least a paper session, a panel and an e-seminar leading up to the panel. At this stage, we invite members to submit proposals for paper sessions (4 speakers), panels (7-8 speakers, with e-discussion or not, as you wish) and threads.

Proposals for paper sessions and panels need to be at least 150 words long with a descriptive title (we can make them more specific later on if you wish). Proposals for threads should be about 250 words long and should include suggestions for paper session and panels. This is a call for ideas and early session proposals. You should not normally at this stage nominate session speakers (unless, for example, a session is built around a specific person's work), and the call for participants will go out later, probably early next year.

Please send all suggestions for paper sessions, panels and threads to Thomas Hahn, Chair of the Program Committee, at: thomas.hahn@rochester.edu by December 31, 2008. Please also cc the Society(chaucer@artsci.wustl.edu).