Bodies and Identities Research Strand
This research strand was instigated in 2009 as a discussion forum for researchers examining past bodies and identities. It emphasises a comparative approach to bodies and identity and considers interpretative approaches developed in different disciplines and with respective to differing time periods and regions of the world. Both staff and postgraduate students participate in strand activities.
The strand meets regularly for research meetings which take various forms including: discussion of a recent publication selected by a strand member; general discussion led by a strand member; discussion of a guest scholar’s work with that scholar; a research seminar in one of the School’s seminar series or as a special seminar; discussion of one or more research proposals; ‘coffee hours’ to discuss recent developments in this field of research.
2012 meetings
February 23rd, 3pm: Bodies and Identities coffee hour
March 15th, 3pm: Discussion of Luc Racaut ‘Bodies and emotions in Early Modern France – research proposal’
April 26th, 4pm: Dr Jane Webster, Newcastle University. ‘Air, space and water enough; perceptions of African hardiness in the 18th century slave trade’
October 25th, 3pm: Bodies and Identities coffee hour
November 15th, 3pm: Discussion group TBC
2011 meetings
7th February 4pm: Dr Stratos Nanoglou, ‘Trapped in postures: Posture, Figuration and Greek Neolithic Figurines’
17th February, 3pm: Morgana McCabe (Glasgow University), ‘Human-witch-animal... the Reformation of being and body’
10th March, 3pm: Bodies and Identities coffee hour
18th May, 3pm: Discussion of Rosenwein, B. 2002. Worrying about emotions in history’ The American Historical Review 107(3): 821-45.
13th October, 3pm: Bodies and Identities coffee hour
19th October, 5.30pm: Dr Luc Racaut (Newcastle University), 'The Body in Pain and Tales of Redemption and Damnation during the Wars of Religion' (Pybus Seminar)
3rd November, 4pm: Dr John Creese (Cambridge University), 'Space, Materiality and the Wendat Person'.
24th November, 3pm: Discussion of Saunders, N.J. 2003. ‘Crucific, calvary, and cross: materiality and spirituality in Great War landscapes’ World Archaeology 35(1): 7-21.
Thurs 15th Dec, 3pm: Bodies and Identities coffee hour
2010 Meetings
Thursday 7th January 2010, 3-4 Strand coffee hour
Thursday 28th January 2010 4pm Dr Jose Oliver, University College London ‘Chiefs and their idols: displaying religious power in the ancient Caribbean’ (Archaeology Research Seminar)
18th February 2010, 2pm: Dr Chris Fowler leading discussion of: Graham, E-J. 2009. Becoming persons, becoming ancestors. Personhood, memory and the corpse in Roman rituals of social remembrance. Archaeological Dialogues 16(1): 51-74.
And
Meskell, L. and Joyce, R. 2003. Embodied Lives: Figuring Ancient Maya and Egyptian Experience. Chapters 7 and 8. Routledge.
11th March 2010: Dr Oliver Harris, Newcastle University: ‘Body histories: change, scale and belief from the Palaeolithic to the present day’.
29th April 2010, 3pm – Bodies and Identities Coffee hour
20th May 2010: Dr Jane Webster & Dr Luc Racaut leading discussion of: Tarlow, S. 2008. 'The extraordinary history of Oliver Cromwell's head', in D. Boric and J. Robb (eds) Body-centred research in archaeology, 69-78 (Oxbow Books), and K. Royer ‘Dead men talking: truth, texts and the scaffold in early modern England’.
30th September 2010, 4pm. Ivana Zivaljevic leading discussion of Boric, D. 2005. Body Metamorphosis and Animality: Volatile Bodies and Boulder Artworks from Lepenski Vir. Cambridge Archaeological Journal 15: 35-69.
7th October, 4pm. Dr Dani Hofmann, Oxford University. ‘Bodies and boundaries in Neolithic Central Europe’ (Archaeology Research Seminar)
28th October, 4pm. Dr Emma-Jayne Graham, University of St Andrews: 'Corporeal experiences and the transformation of funerary practices in Roman Italy'. (Interdisciplinary Research Seminar)
4th November, 4pm. Dr Susanne Hakenbeck, Southampton University. ‘Local, regional and ethnic identities in early medieval cemeteries in Bavaria’ (Archaeology Research Seminar)
25th November, 3pm. Dr Oliver Harris leading discussion of Hacking, I. 2007. Our Neo-Cartesian bodies in parts. Critical Inquiry 34, 78-105.
16th December, 3pm. Bodies and Identities Coffee hour.
2009 Meetings
Thursday 2-4 April 9th, Armstrong Building, Classroom 2. Dr Chris Fowler leading discussion of 'Introduction' by Dusan Boric and John Robb, and Chris Shilling 'The challenge of embodying archaeology', both in Boric and Robb (eds) 2009 'Past Bodies: Body-centred research in archaeology',
Thursday May 21st, 2-4pm Armstrong Bg, Classroom 2. Dr Jane Webster leading discussion of La Roche, Cheryl J. and Michael Blakey 1997. Seizing Intellectual Power: The Dialogue at the New York African Burial Ground. Historical Archaeology 31(3):84-106.
Thursday 1st October 3-4pm, Northern Stage Theatre café: Strand coffee hour. Please bring suggestions for activities this semester and next.
Thursday 1st October, 4pm: Dr Hella Eckhardt, Reading University. ‘Diasporas in Roman Britain’. (Interdisciplinary Research Seminar)
Thursday 22nd October 3-4pm, Northern Stage Theatre café: Strand coffee hour.
Thursday 29th October 2009, 1pm: Dr Jane Downes, Orkney Research Centre for Archaeology/ Orkney College, University of the Highlands and Islands. ‘Mortuary practices in Bronze Age Orkney’.
Thursday 12th November, 3-4 Strand coffee hour
Thursday 3rd December, 3-5. Classics library. Ivana Zivaljevic leading discussion of Vilaca, A. 2007. Cultural Change as Body Metamorphosis. In C. Fausto & M. Heckenberger (eds) Time and Memory in Indigenous Amazonia, 169-193. Florida University Press.
Contacts
The strand is co-ordinated by Chris Fowler
