ReMeDHe First Book Workshop 2020, Chicago, May 2020

ReMeDHe (pronounced “Remedy”) is a working group for Religion, Medicine, Disability, Health, and Healing in Late Antiquity. Scholars of late antique religion have become increasingly interested in topics of illness, injury, disease, disability, health, and healing, while historians of medicine are becoming increasingly aware of the overlap between medical, philosophical, and religious practices and ways of knowing.  

ReMeDHe is excited to announce the call for applications for our 2020 First Book Workshop. The workshop gives two early-career scholars the opportunity to receive feedback on their dissertation (or draft of their first book), as well as tips on publication, from senior and junior colleagues who work on similar topics, sources, and questions. The overall goal of the workshop is to strengthen emerging scholarship on health, healing, and medicine, as well as to support junior scholars working at this disciplinary intersection.

Format

• Authors pre-circulate their drafts for all participants to read in advance of the workshop.
• The morning of the workshop will be broken into two sessions, one for each author. Each session begins with brief opening remarks by the author and a formal response by a senior scholar before the floor is opened up to feedback from other participants. Overall, participants focus on identifying the major strengths and contributions of the draft, prioritizing areas for revision, and offering publication strategies.
• The afternoon will again be broken into two sessions, one for each author. These sessions are dedicated to clarifying and expanding on ideas raised in the morning session, providing additional feedback, and fielding lingering questions.
• For each workshop session, a participant will be assigned to take notes, freeing up the authors to fully engage in the conversation.
• The organizing committee will work with authors to identify scholars to invite as formal respondents and participants (approximately 15 total).
• The workshop strives to be collegial and supportive. Our overarching goal is to strengthen the emerging scholarship on health, healing, and medicine, as well as to support junior scholars.

Eligibility

• Applicants should be working on their first academic monograph on a topic that fits within the interdisciplinary scope of the ReMeDHe working group (i.e., related to religion, and health, healing, medicine).
• Applicants should have a polished full draft of their dissertation (or draft monograph) ready to circulate by January 2020.