Using the Past for the Present International Conference to be held at JCU on March 28-29
The international conference Using the Past for the Present: Medieval Narratives in Modern Political and Religious Discourse will be held in Rome on March 28-29, 2025, at Jonh Cabot University, Guarini Campus.
The conference aims to discuss the use of history for political and religious purposes, more specifically, the use of medieval narratives and traditions in the construction of political and religious visions in the modern era. Given the centrality of the Middle Ages in the development and dissemination of narratives aimed at the creation–or denial–of national and religious identities, the effects of which are long-lasting and touch the contemporary world as well, the conference aspires to re-discuss the importance of analyzing and understanding the past, especially the “medieval” past, in constructing the present.
The topics addressed, centered on the political and religious uses of the medieval past, are open to a global perspective and comparison in geographical and chronological terms, and may include, but are not limited to the following:
National identities and historical memory
Historical narratives and legitimation of political power
Religious traditions and national/political identities
Historical interpretation vs. historical revisionism
Jews and historical memory
The Crusades and the Middle East
Clash of civilizations rediscussed
The event is sponsored by John Cabot University’s Office of the President, Department of History and Humanities and the Guarini Institute, and co-sponsored by the Democracy Institute of the Central European University, Budapest/Vienna.
Using the Past for the Present: Medieval Narratives in Modern Political and Religious Discourse welcomes paper proposals submitted in English.
Please submit the title of your paper, an abstract of up to 400 words, and a short CV by October 30 to:
Fabrizio Conti: [email protected]
Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri: [email protected]
Serena Di Nepi: [email protected]
Keynote Speakers:
Professor Patrick Geary (Institute for Advanced Study – Princeton)
Professor Tamar Herzig (Tel Aviv University)
Professor Gábor Klaniczay (Central European University)
The Organizing Committee:
Fabrizio Conti, John Cabot University
Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
Serena Di Nepi, Sapienza University of Rome
The Scientific Committee:
Federigo Argentieri, Guarini Institute for Public Affairs, John Cabot University
Fabrizio Conti, John Cabot University
Tommaso di Carpegna Falconieri, University of Urbino “Carlo Bo”
Serena Di Nepi, Sapienza University of Rome
Michael Driessen, John Cabot University
Maya Katzir, Embassy of Israel in Italy
Laszlo Kontler, Central European University
Marina Montesano, University of Messina
Marla Stone, Occidental College
