“From Plato to Potter” Conference
Schedule
Saturday, March 26th
Cowan Fine and Performing Arts Center
10:00 AM
Entrance (with display of swords, armor,
costume)
Performers
Kristen Stephens, Four
Winds Renaissance Fair
Dustin Stephens,
Four Winds Renaissance Fair
Session 1—Braithwaite
Hall
History (Presider: Patricia
A. Gajda, Prof. of History, UT Tyler)
Connie
Meyer, “Scholarship and Schism: Examining the Effect of the Great Schism on
Specialty Colleges with Medieval Universities” (student, Texas A&M
Commerce)
Leah
DeVun, "Sexing the Stone: Hermaphrodites, Gender, and Generation in
Medieval Alchemy" (Asst. Prof. of History, Texas A&M)
Edward
Tabri—“The Picatrix: a Medieval
Magical Text and Its Influence” (Asst.
Prof. of History, UT Tyler)
Session 2—FAAC
1009
Ancient texts and Modern
Realizations (Presider: Michael Eidenmuller, Asst. Prof. of Speech, UT Tyler)
James Hatfield, "Antique Temples on Texas
Stages" (Professor of Theatre UT Tyler,)
Paul Streufert, "Translating
Euripides for the Stage or How to Cry in Trojan."
(UT Tyler, Asst
Prof. of Classics and English)
Robin
Reid, "'Far Green County' or 'Shadow on the Waters': The Question of
Valinor in The Lord of the Rings” (Assoc. Prof. of English , Texas A & M
Commerce)
Session 3—FAAC
2006
Medieval Literature (Presider:
Victor Scherb, Prof. of English, U.T. Tyler)
David
Pinnell—“Boccacio's Griselda” (grad. student, UT Tyler)
Ilan
Mitchell-Smith, "’As Olde Stories Tellen Us': Chaucer's Anachronistic
Setting in The Knight's Tale"
(Grad. Student, Texas A & M University)
Charlene Gill, " "The Plight of the Female Pilgrim in Langland's Piers Plowman and Chaucer's The Wife of
Bath's Prologue and Tale." (Texas State Univ.
San Marcos)
FREE LUNCH 11:30-12:30—Cowan
Entrance (entertainment provided by theatre students building sets)
12:30
Entrance
Film Showing (Julius Caesar)
Peformance: University Brass Quintet
Session 4—Braithwaite
Ancient to Modern (Presider: Carolyn Tilghman, Asst. Prof. of
English, U.T. Tyler)
Vandy Dubre, “Harry Potter as Modern Romanz” (B.A. in
English, UT Tyler, Librarian)
Jennifer
Culver, From Iron Bands to a “Mind of Metal and Steel: Examining the Consistent
Negative Perceptions of Iron” (Grad. Student, Univ. of North Texas)
Kathryn
Jacobs, “Harry: Is that Potter, Percy, or Plantagent? The Influence of
Shakespeare’s History Cycle on J. K. Rowling” (Prof. of English, Texas A&M
Commerce)
Session 5—FAAC
1009
Art History (Presider: Jill Blondin, Asst. Prof. of Art,
UT Tyler)
Charlotte
Bauer Smith, “Image and Identity: a Brief Study of Late Medieval Seals” (Grad. Student in Art History, Univ. of
Illinois at Champaign-Urbana)
Jill Blondin, “The Sistine Chapel and Dynastic Ambition”
(Asst. Prof. of Art, UT Tyler)
Jennifer Barnes, “Botticelli’s Primavera” (Student, UT
Tyler Art program,)
Session 6—FAAC
2006
Philosophy and Politics
(Presider: Randy LeBlanc, Assoc. Prof. of Political Science, UT Tyler)
David Strong, “Mystic Love” (Asst. Prof. of English, UT
Tyler)
Cary
Nederman, "Did the Middle Ages have a Political Theory of Representation:
A Skeptical View" (Prof of Political Science, Texas A&M, College
Station)
Rick
Halperin, “The Evolution of Human Rights” (Prof. of History, Southern Methodist
University)
Session 7—FAAC
2014
Still a Classic (Presider: Paul
Streufert, Asst. Prof. UT Tyler, English)
Amanda
Klinger—"Transcending Gender in the Pursuit of
Justice: The Story of Charite and
Tlepolemus in Apuleius's The Golden Ass” (Student, English Program, UT Tyler,)
Laura
Grace Dykes, “Goddess or Mortal She’s Still a Woman: Semele in Ovid’s Metamorphoses” (Student, English
Program, UT Tyler)
Daren
Young, "Ad Herenium and Modern
Pedagogy" (Student, English Program, UT Tyler)
2:15
Entrance:
Film Showing: Perceval
Session 8—Braithwaite
History and Literature
(Presider: Edward Tabri, UT Tyler, Asst. Prof. of History)
Mark
Spencer, "Sex and Politics: Representing Romans in Robert Graves' I, Claudius and Claudius the God" (Asst. Prof. of English & Humanities,
Southeastern Oklahoma State Univ.)
Seth
Wilson—“The Roots of the Northumbrian Renaissance” (UT Tyler alumnus, History
& English B.A.)
Judy
Ford, “Kingship in J.R.R. Tolkein’s Lord
of the Rings” (Professor of History, Texas A&M Commerce)
Session 9—FAAC
1009
Tolkein: Timeless and Timely
(Presider: Stephen Krebbs, UT Tyler, Lecturer, Philosophy)
Stella
M. Williams, “The Mythological Orphan Hero: Hamlet, Frodo, and Harry Potter”
(Grad. Student, Texas A&M Commerce, English Program).
Lucas
Niller, "From Conqueror to Citizen: Tolkien's Fantastic Ecology"
(Asst. Prof. of English, UT Tyler)
Rob Barrett, "Tolkien and the Virtual Middle Ages"
(Asst. Prof., Univ. of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana)
Session 10—FAAC
2006
Cervantes (Presider: Dan
Murphree, UT Tyler, Asst. Prof. of History)
Florentino Guerrero "Who was Don Quijote de la
Mancha?" (Student, UT Tyler, Spanish
Program)
Ray Napolitan "Is Don Quijote really a child at play?" (Student, UT
Tyler, Spanish Program)
Chantal
Roussel-Zuazu, "The Comic in Cervantes’ Don
Quijote" (Instructor, UT Tyler)
Greg
Utley Cervantes’ Creativity in the Tale of Leandra” (Assoc. Prof. of Spanish,
UT Tyler)
Session 11—FAAC
2014
Art History II (Presider: Jill Blondin)
George
Neal, "Image, Polemic, and Salvation: Modes of Manifestation in the Morgan
Beatus" (student, Art History Program, Univ. of North Texas,)
JoAnna
Reyes, “The Verdant Gospel” (Student, Art History Program, Univ. of North
Texas,)
4:00 pm
Plenary Session (Braithwaite Hall):
Welcome and Introduction of Plenary Speaker: Dr. Rick
Osburn (Provost, UT Tyler)
Speaker: John Kirby, "From Plato to Potter: The
Humanities in the New Millennium" (Professor of Classics, Purdue)
5:00 pm (Braithwaite Hall)
Introduction of Dr. Allen and UT Tyler Chorus:
Choral Concert (led by Dr. Allen)
5:15pm (Braithwaite Hall)
Reader's Theatre
John Redford's Wit
and Science