Call for Papers
We are writing to invite you to submit to the April 25-26, 2025 conference, Approaches to the
Other in the Greek and Roman Mediterranean. Hosted by the Classics department of Stanford
University, this conference focuses on defining, representing, and exploiting the Other across
various ancient media using a variety of methodologies.

The social spectrum in antiquity presented many ways of drawing ethnic borders and selectively
distributing status and power. Ancient Greek and Roman societies presented various mechanisms
for demarcating and maintaining boundaries around constructed identities. A disturbing amount
of thought and attention would have been necessary to construct and maintain these social
hierarchies; an equal level of diligence is required to untangle these deep-rooted prejudices and
their legacies. This conference will be devoted to analyzing the patterns of thought which built
systemic biases and inequalities in the Greek and Roman world, what allowed them to persevere,
and what we might learn to combat such ideologies.

As institutional injustice is a complex and evolving phenomenon, comprised of layered
strategies and interests, we welcome innovative approaches to social identity in the ancient
Mediterranean. The conference will have three main panels: Defining the Other, which asks how
ancient Greece and Rome constructed social boundaries and identified categories of insider and
outsider; Depicting the Other, which examines ancient ethnic propaganda and social tactics used
to alienate and/or demean outsiders; and Exploiting the Other, which explores the rationales
behind ancient slavery, serfdom, and other forms of coerced labor which stripped certain people
of social legitimacy. Our final event, So…Who is the Other?, will provide a closing summary
and space for discussion of the ideas and approaches raised throughout the previous panels.

We are seeking presenters for the first three panels. Each accepted paper will also give a
20minute presentation on their paper during the conference. If you are interested, please submit
an abstract of your paper and specify which of the three panels (Defining, Depicting, and
Exploiting) you would like to be considered for. All abstracts must be submitted by January 13th
and should not be less than 300 or more than 500 words.

Please reach us at either of the following emails:
Micheal Duchesne (Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.)
Samuel Powell (Diese E-Mail-Adresse ist vor Spambots geschützt! Zur Anzeige muss JavaScript eingeschaltet sein.)