The Tolkien Society Seminar 2011
"Tolkien's Trees"
30th July 2011, Bar Convent, York

Call for papers

The Tolkien Society invites submissions for papers to be given at this summer's Seminar.

Focus:

The Tolkien Society seminar provides members, academics, students, and independent scholars with a venue for interdisciplinary dialogue. This year the theme is "Tolkien's Trees" and covers trees, gardens, woods, forest, forest dwellers, and our understandings of them or what they may signify. There are many kinds of trees in the works of Tolkien. Trees, woods, forests, and tree-like beings appear in various parts of The Hobbit, The Lord of the Rings, The Silmarillion, Smith of Wootton Major, and of course Leaf by Niggle. Some of these are special, magical, and inspirational, and others are dark, frightening, or ominous; from the Old Forest to the Golden Wood of Lothlorien, the Ents of Fangorn or the malice of Old Man Willow. Trees may also carry symbolic values that may be explored and considered such as the White Tree of Gondor. There is scope for considering ecology theory and the way Tolkien's depictions of trees in relation to various created societies and characters pre-dates the rise of actual ecology theory; and while his treatment of trees may open up moral insights, they offer options for interpretation that are more in tune with modern perceptions. Participants are free to draw on any part of Tolkien's oeuvre, or to follow a thematic line within one text, or one text in its variant forms (draft ms, published work, or amended edition).

Format:

The seminar will consist of a series of papers/presentations over the day, these may be either 20 or 45 minutes long to fit into half-hour or hour slots with a ten to fifteen minute question/discussion session. There may also be scope to accommodate a number of short 10-minute presentations. It is intended that there will be two morning sessions and one afternoon session.

Submissions:

Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words. Send your proposal, and a short biography to edsec@tolkiensociety.org

Deadline: Abstracts must be received by June 30th, 2011.

Registration

The Bar Convent is a working convent just 15 minutes walk from York railway station. The seminar itself will start at 10:00 and finish by 17:00. The registration fee is £15 for Tolkien Society members and £18 for non-members and includes refreshments on arrival, mid morning and mid afternoon. Lunch is not provided, however the licensed café at the convent will be open and there are many other places where you can eat lunch within a short walk.

We will organise Innmoots on the Friday and Saturday evenings and depending on interest we may arrange a tour of York Brewery at 5pm on Friday (£6 for adults); a group meal on Friday evening; a group walk around York on Sunday morning; and/or a group visit to Duncombe Park near Helmsley to see the trees (c. £10). More details will be sent to those who register and any charges for these will be payable on the day.

If you need to stay overnight in York the Bar Convent has some bed and breakfast accommodation from £33 per person, per night which you can book direct with them (01904 643 238 or on-line). Across the street are two Premier Inns (York City, Blossom Street South and York City, Blossom Street North 0871 527 9194) and a little further away there is a Hotel du Vin (0845 365 4438). Ace York, a "boutique" hostel is only five minutes walk away (01904 627720) There are, of course, many other hotels, hostels and bed and breakfasts in and around York contact Visit York for details (01904 550099).

York is only two hours from London by train and it would be possible to travel up for the day. Leeds-Bradford airport is about an hour and a half away by bus and train (via Leeds station). Robin Hood airport is a similar distance by bus and train (via Doncaster station). If travelling by car the Nunnery Lane car park (£10 for the day) is just around the corner or you may prefer to use the Park & Ride (£2.30 return). Bus 3 from Askham Bar Park & Ride stops opposite Bar Convent, buses from Monks Cross, Rawcliffe Bar and the Designer Outlet Park & Rides stop 10-15 minutes walk from the Bar Convent.

To book a place download a booking form here. After completion you can either post the booking form to the bookings officer or scan it and email it to the bookings officer.

Here is a downloadable call for papers.