OIKOS Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies Masterclass “Mapping Eastern Christian Cultures of Translation”

On 17 December 2024, the yearly masterclass of the OIKOS research group Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies will take place, which is organised by Hanna Hoogenraad (VU Amsterdam), Giovanni Gomeiro (Ghent University) and Carlo Emilio Biuzzi (Ghent University - École Pratique des Hautes Études, Paris). This one-day event is led by Prof. dr. Philip Forness (KU Leuven), who will discuss the theme of “Mapping Eastern Christian Cultures of Translation”. The masterclass offers participating graduate students and PhD candidates a unique opportunity to interact and share their ideas with a leading scholar in the field. In the afternoon, Prof. Dr. Philip Forness will give a public lecture entitled “Mapping Eastern Christian Cultures of Translation”:

The significance of the written word in Christianity spurred the development of diverse translation cultures at a time when translation practices were already established in the Roman and Persian Empires, as well as within Judaism. While Western Christians primarily carried out translations into Latin and Greek, Eastern Christian communities engaged in translation across approximately ten languages over in late antiquity, reflecting a richer linguistic diversity. This presentation takes the concept of geography as a point of departure for understanding and mapping the emergence and development of Eastern Christian translation cultures, examining three dimensions of geography: physical, political, and linguistic. In a first step, it explores how the physical geography of regions such as the southern Caucasus fostered linguistic diversity and contributed to the formation of distinct translation practices. The influence of political geography is analyzed through the impact of ruling systems on the selection and translation of texts across various regions, including Sassanian Persia, Tang China, the ʿAbbasid Caliphate, and Slavic lands. Finally, the presentation highlights the role of multilingualism within communities, focusing on how language dynamics in Egypt, Nubia, Ethiopia, and Central Asia influenced translation practices. Overall, it sets forth geography offers as a framework for understanding the development of Eastern Christian translation cultures throughout the first millennium.

Program

10:30-11:00: Arrival

Session 1: Masterclass for graduate students, PhD candidates and postdocs (Chair: Carlo Emilio Biuzzi)

11:00-11:05: Welcome and Introductory Remarks

11:05-12:45: Masterclass by Prof. dr. Philip Forness (KU Leuven)

12:45-13:30: Lunch break

Session 2: Presentations participants (Chair: Giovanni Gomeiro)

13:30-14:45: Short presentations by participants about (of) their research, followed by a short discussion

14:45-15:00: Short break

Session 3: Public keynote lecture “Mapping Eastern Christian Cultures of Translation” (Chair: Hanna Hoogenraad)

15:00-16:00: “Mapping Eastern Christian Cultures of Translation”, Prof. dr. Philip Forness (KU Leuven)

16:00-16:30: Brief response by Prof. dr. Joseph Verheyden (KU Leuven) and Prof. dr. Herman Teule (KU Leuven) and discussion

Registration

To register for the masterclass and/or keynote lecture, please fill out this Google form by 26 November 2024. Those participating in the masterclass can indicate if they want to give a short presentation about (part of) their research. You are very much welcome to join the masterclass without presenting. 

Preparation and ECTS

Participants of the masterclass will receive further details and readings upon registration. Participants will be asked to read three articles and prepare a 5-minute presentation on (part of) their research and how it relates to the masterclass’ theme. Graduate students and PhD candidates of OIKOS who successfully participate in the masterclass will be credited with 2 ECTS and provided with a certificate. Participants can acquire an additional credit if they submit a 1000-word essay, reflecting on the masterclass and connecting it with their research. The deadline for this assignment is 31 January 2025. 

Sponsors 

This year’s masterclass is generously sponsored by the OIKOS Research Group Late Antiquity and Byzantine Studies. 

For further questions, please contact Hanna Hoogenraad (j.m.c.hoogenraad vu.nl)