CfP open: TUCEMEMS Conference, University of Turku

Cultural Use of Memory from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern Period

University of Turku, Finland

May 26–28, 2027

Call for Papers

Turku Centre for Medieval and Early Modern Studies (TUCEMEMS) organises an interdisciplinary conference focusing on the cultural use of memory from Late Antiquity to the Early Modern Period. We welcome proposals from scholars working in fields such as archaeology, art history, classical studies, cultural studies, history, languages and translation studies, literature, and religious studies.

Throughout time, communities have used memories of the past to negotiate their current and future identities, norms, and practices. These processes have been influenced by both written texts and oral stories, as well as material culture. Historical knowledge has been a source for establishing religious dogma and practice, legitimising political power and networks, shaping the sense of self for both communities and individuals, as well as providing the foundation for scientific thinking.

The confirmed keynote speakers are Professor Emilia Jamroziak (Adam Mickiewicz University, Poznań), Dr Kathryn Lowe (University of Glasgow), and Dr Teemu Immonen (University of Turku).

We welcome proposals for individual papers and full panels of 3–4 presentations. Papers should be 20 minutes in duration (15 minutes in 4-paper sessions). For individual papers, please send an abstract of 300–400 words together with a short biography of 150–200 words to tucemems-info@utu.fi by 15 October, 2026; for panels, please also include a title and a brief outline of the panel. The registration fee is 90€ for regular participants and 50€ for graduate students.

Suggested topics for papers include, but are not limited to:

• Cultural memory as a source of communal disruption and continuity
• Archaising manifestations of writing, architecture, objects, and visual culture
• Re-contextualising texts, documents, and artifacts of the past
• (Im)materialising cultural memory
• Language as a carrier of cultural memory
• Antiquarianism and social circulation of the past
• The use of hagiography and liturgy in building religious communities

For more information, please visit https://sites.utu.fi/tucemems/en/. If you have further queries, please send them to tucemems-info@utu.fi.