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Report on the Eighth ICLS Congress,
Queen's University
Belfast, Northern IrelandThe Eighth Triennial Congress opened on Wednesday afternoon, 26 July, with guest registration at the Elms, a modern and efficient dorm complex about two miles north of the main University campus. Professors Evelyn Mullally and John Thompson, of the School of Modern and Medieval Languages, were the tireless organizers of the meeting.
After a Reception in the lower dining hall, the first Plenary address, "The City of Gold and Jewels: Cross Cultural Exchange in Late Medieval England," was offered by Felicity Riddy, Centre for Medieval Studies, University of York.
To launch us in the morning (now located at Queen's University), Michel Zink of the Collège de France gave the second Plenary talk, "La Fin des Chroniques de Froissart et le tragique de la cour." After generous helpings of coffee, tea, and ch ocolate biscuits, we proceeded to Sessions 1,2, and 3 (four simultaneous sections, each with three to four papers)
ICLS National Branch meetings followed, with a showing of videos to promote Saturday's excursions. That evening a banquet featuring Irish cuisine was offered in the Great Hall of the University.
Gearíd Mac Eoin offered the third Plenary, "Poets and Princes in Early Irish Literature," on Friday morning. Sessions 4,5, and 6 provided a full day of working papers (some thirty three different presentations), followed by a Triennial General Meeting, a buffet dinner and musical entertainment by the group Trasna.
Except for the fourth Plenary address by John Scattergood, "Courtliness in 14th Century English Pastourelles," Saturday's energies were devoted to ann organized excursion, some going south to Armagh and Emain Macha (Navan Fort), others to the Giant's Causeway. Those going to Armagh were able to visit St. Patrick's Cathedral and the charming public library. Sunday morning was filled with multimedia presentations, as well as a promotional video for the University of British Columbia site of th e IX TC ICLS in three years.
Sessions 7,8, and 9 brought the very busy weekend to a close with some thirteen different sections again with two to four papers in each. Buses departed for the elegant Malone House, where we were officially welcomed by Armagh's Lady Mayor and treated to a delightful farewell banquet, which proved to be the closing event (as always, bittersweet) for the Congress.
Some were called away to other activities on Monday, such as a visit to the breathtaking Botanical Garden (next to the fascinating Ulster Museum of Folk Life). The organizers had arranged for two different day long excursions, one to Dublin and another to St. Patrick's Purgatory.
Most participants departed on Tuesday morning.
Now we forge ahead to Vancouver in 1998, the twenty fifth anniversary of our founding.
by Raymond Cormier, French Instructor
Central Piedmont Community College
Charlotte, NC
October 19951. Opening and Welcome by the President of the Society.
2. Matters arising from the Minutes. No points were raised.
3. President's report: The President states that he has enjoyed his presidency and expresses his gratitude for these eight years. He feels satisfied that so far every Triennial Congress has resulted in a volume of Proceedings, and proposes that a flyer be prepared listing all seven titles (with bibliographical details for easy ordering). He requests members to check their libraries, and if either the Proceedings or Encomia are missing, to have them ordered.
4. Secretary's report: The Amherst Proceedings came out in 1994, edited by the Congress organizers, Donald Maddox and Sara Sturm-Maddox. In 1993 the Secretary represented the Society at the XXIst FILLM Conference in Brasilia, Brazil. In spite of Paul Zumthor's presidency the interest in matters medieval was minimal. The theme for the 1996 Conference in Regensburg is "Children in Literature and Language." The Secretary now receives membership lists on floppy so that these can be printed as the Secretary-Treasurers of the National Branches send them in (so far from the Belgian, British, Danish, Dutch, German, Italian, North-American and Swiss Branches). In fulfillment of his promise of the previous AGM the Secretary presents a design for the Society's notepaper to the meeting, with a letterhead giving the name of the Society in the Society's three official languages and the date of its establishment. The design is accepted by the members, but the status of three languages will be discussed before any are used in the letterhead.
5. Treasurer's report: The Treasurer reports that the balance of the Amherst Congress is $6000. In addition to the figures stated in his written Report, the Treasurer informs the members that the production and dispersion of Encomia for 1995 cost approximately $5000. Although this would be much cheaper, it is at the moment not feasible to send around copies on floppy due to the large, and often incompatible, variety of computer systems used. The default of payment of National Branches continues to be a problem. Often payment is eventually received, but far too late, and at irregular intervals. The Treasurer is confident that once again most of the arrears will be settled in due course.
6. Report from the Editor of Encomia: Between 1992 and 1995 membership has ranged between 800 and 850. The 1995 issue will be processed in August and should come out in September. Suggestions for the format are welcome. Only the Belgian branch has raised objections against the disappearance of the entries per National Branch. At the previous AGM it was moved that the membership list should be made to include telephone and fax numbers as well as e-mail addresses; the Editor will undertake to implement this decision by approaching the National Branch Secretary-Treasurers (through the International Secretary).
7. Annual Subscription Fees to Encomia: At the moment there is no need to increase the fees.
8. Constitution and Bylaws of the Society: The President introduces the subject, listing the two main areas where there is reason for some concern: (a) the Society's purposes, and (b) the funds to support members of the Executive Committee and the Presidents of the National Branches. One by one the Laws and Bylaws are put up for discussion, which takes concrete shape only with two sections:
Il.i. Purposes: here the following suggestions are made: (a) to include the word "scholarly" in the first or second sentence; (b) line 3: to replace "with particular reference to the literature of medieval Europe" by "with particular reference to medieval literature;" (c) to leave out medieval Latin; (d) to remove the last sentence. It is decided that suggestions for (re)formulations of the Society's purposes may be sent to the Secretary, who on the basis of these will write a proposal, which will be published in Encomia and discussed at the next AGM.
Bylaws III.v International Congresses: adjustment of this paragraph to the "Amherst Amendment" causes ample discussion, focussing on the question whether travel expenses of members of the Executive Committee and National Presidents may be reimbursed if they do not travel to another continent or another country. This paragraph is withdrawn and will be submitted in a revised form to the next AGM. At the end of this point of the agenda the issue of the official languages of the Society is discussed. It is decided that the Society has three, English, French and German, and that official documents
will be drawn in all three. At the Society's Triennial Congresses papers may be read in other languages.9. FILLM Membership: Membership in FILLM costs the Society $300 per year (and maybe more in the future), while the Society received $2000 for travel of Third World members and the Secretary to Brazil. For the 1998 Congress even less money will be allocated, and under strict conditions on its expenditure. It is decided that the membership of FILLM will be discontinued.
10. Election of International Officers: The Secretary has written to all National Branches but no nominations were submitted. The officers put forward by the Committee are all elected by acclamation:
For the position of Chief Bibliographer no names are put forward, neither from the floor nor from the Committee. The finding of a replacement for Nathan Love is left to the Committee.President - Donald Maddox (French, USA)
Vice-President - Erik Kooper (English, the Netherlands)
Secretary - Leslie Brook (French, Great Britain)
Treasurer - Stephanie Cain Van D'Elden (German, USA)
Editor Encomia - Maria Dobozy (German, USA)
Former President Glyn Burgess is appointed Honorary President of the Society.11. Date and venue of the next Congress: Vancouver has been suggested and is introduced by June Hall McCash, acting on behalf of Chantal Phan, who will head the organization committee. The meeting accepts the place but urges the organizers to reconsider the dates and try to push these to late July or early August.
12. Other business: The new President takes over from the old and thanks first and foremost the organizers of the successful Belfast Congress, Evelyn Mullally and John Thompson, and next the two retiring officers.
For his long and meritorious services also three-term Treasurer and former Congress organizer Joe Snow is appointed Honorary President of the Society.
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