Mellon-Borghesi workshop on (Re)Imagining Empire

This is the second conference in the series and will center on early modern, 18th, and 19th century Europe and the Americas, focusing in part on how Rome itself was imaginatively reinvented in that period.

Schedule for the day:

Opening Remarks (8:45 – 9:00): Karen Britland, Halls-Bascom Professor of English & Johann Sommerville, Professor of History

Panel 1 (9-10:15):

Leonora Neville, History: “The Imaginary Byzantine Empire and Its Uses"

André Wink, History: “On Environmental Determinism”

Respondent: Richard Avramenko, Political Science and ILS

Panel 2 (10:30-11:45):

Katherine Robiadek, Political Science: “Tragic Imperialism in Aeschylus and Cervantes”

Lauren Surovi, French and Italian: “Lucrezia Reborn: Machiavelli’s Vision for an Imperial Republic”

Respondent: Kristin Philips-Court, French and Italian

Lunch Break (11:45-1:30; a limited number of lunches will be provided)

Panel 3 (1:30-2:45):

Matteusz Ferens, Art History: “The Empire’s Second Body”

Joseph Bowling, English: “Before the Nation: Translating Imperium in Early Modern England”

Respondent: Nancy Rose Marshall, Art History

Afternoon Coffee and Refreshments Break (2:45-3:45)

Keynote Speaker (4:00-5:30)

Lia Markey, Director of the Center for Renaissance Studies, The Newberry

“Vicarious Conquest:The Medici and the New World”

This program is a part of the Borghesi Mellon Interdisciplinary Workshops in the Humanities, sponsored by the Center for the Humanities at UW-Madison, with support from Nancy and David Borghesi and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The “(Re)Imagining Empire” Workshop series is sponsored by the African Cultural Studies, American Democracy Forum, Art History, Center for Early Modern Studies, CANES, Center for European Studies, Center for the Study of Liberal Democracy, English, History, History and Politics Workshop, Institute for Research in the Humanities, Integrated Liberal Studies, Philosophy, and Political Science.