WAR HORSES OF THE WORLD"
A weekend Conference at the School of Oriental and African Studies [SOAS], London.
DATES: Saturday 3rd and Sunday 4th May 2014
VENUE: Khalili Lecture Theatre, SOAS Main Building, Thornhaugh Street, London WC1H 0XG
AGENDA: This conference is part of an exciting ‘stable’ of biennial conferences first initiated on the Greek island of Hydra and are now held at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London – the Donkey Conference (2005, 2007, 2012), the Camel Conference @ SOAS (2010, 2011, 2013) and the Elephant Conference @ SOAS (forthcoming 2015). Working quadrupeds, studied in social and historical context, and from all disciplinary viewpoints.
This year we turn our attention to War Horses of the World.
PARTICIPATION: We are concerned to cover the widest possible range of topics, geographical regions and historical periods. In particular, we are keen to right the balance between the 'West' and the 'Rest'. For this conference we welcome papers that include mules as well as horses.
THEMES: The conference will be cross-disciplinary, and our approach is critical rather than celebratory. We are particular interested in what happens at interfaces, in areas of in-betweenness and transition. For instance, the affective relations between fighting people and their mounts; or what happens when horse cultures meet camel or elephant cultures in war; or the change from chariot warfare to cavalry and mounted archers; or horses meeting motorised armoury; or how the horse operates at the cutting edge of colonialism, fighting the as-yet unhorsed; or where the horse as embodiment of power meets the subaltern horse; or how 'martial horseness' is created as socio-cultural practice in given societies.
We invite contributions in that spirit.
SUBMISSIONS: If you wish to propose a paper for this conference, please send your proposal by e-mail to the conference organiser:
The proposal should include a provisional title for the paper; an abstract of the paper (200 words maximum); and a CV of the author(s) (100 words maximum).
Deadline for submissions: Monday, 4th November 2013.
REGISTRATION: The conference is open to the academic community and to members of the general public. Registration for presenters of papers is free.
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William Gervase Clarence-Smith [SOAS, Conference chair]
Ed Emery [SOAS, Conference organiser]
1.viii.2013
