Texas Medieval Association Comes of Age at Annual Conference

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The 21st annual meeting of the Texas Medieval Association (TEMA) will be held Friday, Sept. 30, to Saturday, Oct. 1, on the Baylor University campus.
This year's conference, "Coming of Age," will recognize the history of the Texas Medieval Association, as well as other aspects of medieval studies, such as literature, art, music, drama, history and philosophy. Featured speakers will be scholars and professors from various universities, including Albany State University, York College of Pennsylvania, Eastern New Mexico University, Towson University, University of California, Arizona State University, Purdue University and others.
Also represented will be Baylor University, University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University, Sam Houston State University, University of Houston, University of North Texas, Our Lady of the Lake University, Abilene Christian University, University of Texas at Arlington and others.

Plenary sessions will be held on Friday and Saturday.

Dr. John Contreni, professor of history at Purdue University and Fellow of the Medieval Academy of America, will speak on "David Letterman Meets the Crusades" at 2:30 p.m. Friday in Armstrong Browning Library's Treasure Room. Dr. Martha G. Newman, professor of history at the University of Texas, will speak on "Constructing a Sacred Geography: Cistercian Visions of Heaven and Hell" at 2 p.m. Saturday in Jones Library. The two plenary sessions are free and open to the public.

The conference will continue the panel practice established at the 20th annual TEMA conference. Friday and Saturday will include roundup panels and session panels, held in various locations in the Jones and Moody libraries at Baylor. Roundups function as workshops where presenters and audience members, led by a moderator, examine the state of a particular question in a specific area of medieval studies. Sessions are traditional conference panels in which presenters prepare formal papers and allow time for discussion. Registration is required to attend roundups and sessions.
Registration also includes TEMA dues, Thursday night reception, Friday afternoon reception and Saturday lunch. Registration payments will be accepted at the conference.
TEMA was founded in 1986 and serves medievalists throughout the state of Texas, nationally and internationally through its conferences and publications. Membership in the association is open to all persons interested in any area of medieval studies and who have paid the annual membership fee.
One of the founding organizations of TEMA, Baylor hosts the TEMA annual conference every three to five years.
For more information about the conference, contact Dr. Beth Allison Barr, assistant professor of history at Baylor and 2011 TEMA president.
by Katy McDowall, student newswriter, (254) 710-6805