Seen on the Classicists list:

The Language of Persuasion
Linguistic Approaches to Its Theory and Practice in the Classical World
10–12 September 2014, University College London

CALL FOR PAPERS

Persuasion is a psychological phenomenon which is deeply connected to language. The focus of the conference is to explore the nature and role of persuasion as linguistic exercise in classical literature and culture from a variety of different perspectives. These include modern linguistics, stylistics, ancient rhetoric and criticism, and comparative approaches taking into account modern and extra-European rhetorical practices and traditions. The convenors are Tzu-I Liao (UCL) and Alessandro Vatri (Oxford) and the event is under the auspices of Chris Carey and Stephen Colvin. Papers would be warmly received on the following themes:

Persuasion through language: insights into the linguistic strategies put into effect as means of persuasion in classical literature (fiction and non-fiction, including technical and didactic literature);
Language through rhetoric: rhetorical literature as a collection of mother-tongue metalinguistic material, which may help us reconstruct language use in precise and well-defined communicative tasks;
Rhetoric and practice: critical approaches to the ancient rhetorical theories and observations on the psychological effects of language, based on linguistic analysis of texts which aim to persuade;
Literary representations of persuasion: linguistic analysis of persuasion ‘in action’ as depicted in both classical literary prose and poetry (e.g. historiography, drama, etc.);
Persuasion across languages: insights on how rhetorical concepts involving linguistic features have been adapted across linguistic borders (from Greek into Latin down to the modern European languages)

Keynote speaker: Ineke Sluiter (Leiden)

Confirmed speakers include Anna Bonifazi (Heidelberg), Stephen Colvin (UCL), Casper de Jonge (Leiden), Caroline Kroon (UvA), Tobias Reinhardt (Oxford), Donna Shalev (HUJI).

We invite submissions of abstracts for papers suitable for a 20 minute presentation. Proposals should be approx. 300 words in length (excluding references) and must be submitted as a PDF attachment by 9 March 2014. Proposals and contributions are expected to be in English. Please send all abstracts and inquiries to languageofpersuasion14 AT gmail.com.

Proposals are hereby solicited for papers for the Fifth International Conference on the Ancient Novel (ICAN V). The conference is open to all areas of the ancient novel and other forms of narrative. The conference will be held in Houston, Texas, 30 September – 3 October 2015.

If you wish to present a paper at ICAN V, you are requested to submit an abstract before 1 March 2015. The abstract should be anonymous and will be read by two referees at least. Each paper will be allotted a total time of 20 minutes for presentation. The ICAN V International Advisory Committee will act as the Program Committee to referee abstracts sent to the organizer, Ed Cueva, cuevae@uhd.edu. Please use the abstract proposal page (uhd.edu/ican) to submit your abstract. If you would like to participate without presenting a paper, please fill in the online registration form before 1 June 2015.

Abstract submission instructions, registration information, lodging details, important dates, and deadlines can be found on the ICAN V website (uhd.edu/ican).

The International Advisory Committee looks forward to receiving proposals.

Edmund P. Cueva
Professor of Classics and Humanities
Chair, Arts and Humanities Department
Arts and Humanities 1009S-E
University of Houston-Downtown
One Main Street
Houston, TX 77002
(713) 226-5543

http://www.uhd.edu