Dear Colleagues,

In the past two years, the research group relics organised online roundtable discussions on the future of Latin studies and education. Excellent impulse talks and vivid discussions made the events a success, which is why we have decided to continue the effort. We continue to focus on topics which last years’ discussions highlighted as particularly relevant for the field. This year, we will look at women as authors of Latin literature from various points of view.

In recent years the study of women authors has grown in importance in Latin studies. This invites us to rethink the field’s boundaries and traditions. We seek perspectives on women, past and present, who used Latin to express themselves. Some view modern feminist theories as vital to the field, while others question their applicability. Does integrating today’s feminist and gender theories risk overlooking the unique contexts of historical texts? Another point of interest is the role of social class and other identity markers in shaping women’s representations. Questions of representation and canon formation remain at the heart of these debates: which texts are privileged, and how do we teach these texts? Finally, we seek input on regional variations in approaches to gender in Latin studies. How do perspectives from different countries interact, and is it possible to trace broader regional approaches shaped by distinct cultural and scholarly traditions? We invite scholars of all career stages to share their ideas on gender in Latin studies with us.

We plan to hold the event on 11 March 2025 over Zoom. The exact time will be decided on the basis of participants’ time zones and will be communicated later. For now, we invite concrete expressions of interest: short thoughts that you would consider worth discussing or more elaborate proposals for a substantial contribution to the discussion. From this, we will select speakers to give impulse talks of five minutes that will serve as a basis for the ensuing discussion.

Proposals and any remaining questions should be sent by 13 January to relics@ugent.be.

With kind regards,

Alex Tadel (University of Warwick)

Simon Smets (KU Leuven)