Frames and Framing in Antiquity II

Conference in cooperation with the Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China

organizers: Elisabeth Günther (IfDH); Sven Günther (IHAC)

Date: 15-17 October 2021
Format: Online via Zoom
Proposal Submission Deadline: 10 February 2021
Acceptance Notice: 1 March 2021
Paper Submission Deadline: 1 September 2021

Frames and Framing in Antiquity II builds on the results and discussions of the first conference
(IHAC & IfDH, 16-18 October 2020) and aims at linking different ancient source materials, contexts, and actors in order to explore entanglements, communicative dynamics, and affordances of frames and framing. While ancient source categories (literary texts, inscriptions, coins, papyri/ostraca, archaeological remains) are often treated separately we seek to analyze interrelations, interdependencies, and entanglements of these sources within their respective contexts.

Based on frame and framing models from the field of sociology, psychology, and communication studies – and particularly inspired by the works of Erving Goffman, Charles Fillmore, and Marvin Minsky – we understand frames as descriptive tools to analyze how people understand, react to, and are influenced by situations and activities (frame analysis); while the phenomenon of framing assesses how individuals or institutions might use, modify, or challenge existing frameworks by creating new frames.

As methodological tool and heuristic approach, frames and framing offer the possibility to make ancient communication, discourse, and negotiation processes as well as practices visible. Hence, we see ancient sources not only as passive media but as active partners in various frame and framing processes. Ancient sources are frames with framing potential per se that link to actors producing or perceiving them, who themselves live, (re-)act, and rule their world within and through frames and framing.

Therefor, we welcome papers that focus on these various interrelations and interactions of sources and context(s). This includes but is not restricted to questions of space, time, agency, affordances, and their communicative potential. We particularly welcome papers that link several sources/materials/media and contexts with each other. Moreover, we strongly encourage paper submissions built on cooperation of researchers of different fields and disciplines of research.

Proposals of c. 300 words should be sent, together with a CV, to the conference organizers, Elisabeth Günther & Sven Günther: sveneca@aol.com or svenguenther@nenu.edu.cn. The conference will be held online, jointly organized by the Institute for Digital Humanities, Georg August-University of Göttingen, Germany, and Institute for the History of Ancient Civilizations (IHAC), Northeast Normal University, Changchun, China. The preliminary papers must be submitted until 1 September 2021, in order to be circulated among the speakers / respondents for promoting a profound discussion.

Selected articles will be published as a special supplement volume of the Journal of Ancient Civilizations (JAC) after a full double-blind peer-review process (submission deadline for papers:
15 February 2022).