Tenth Meeting of the IOQS in Aberdeen, 4‒8 Aug 2019
The Dead Sea Scrolls in the Context of Hellenistic Judea
Call for papers
The Scrolls are viewed more and more within their wider cultural, historical, and geographic context, and previous categorizations based on sectarianism, canonicity, or genre are being re-thought. For the special topic of the IOQS meeting, we welcome papers that consider the scrolls in their wider context of Hellenistic Judea and beyond.
The field of Qumran studies is no longer necessarily focused on the area where the scrolls were discovered. For example, archaeological study of Judea and Galilee has made advances during recent years, and the history of the Hasmonean rulers and their policies is increasingly placed in the wider context of power negotiations throughout the region. Papers may investigate how the scrolls should be viewed in light of new results in other fields (e.g., archaeology, history, paleography), or how the scrolls help to understand this particular cultural, historical, and geographic context. Proposals by scholars with expertise in other fields relevant to the scrolls are also welcome. Papers may seek to address how the scrolls and their producers interact with or represent a part of the wider landscape of Second Temple Judaism: how we negotiate balance between what is distinctive about Qumran evidence and what is “universal” or more broadly shared.
IOQS wishes to encourage scholars and PhD candidates at all levels who are working on the topic to propose a paper for the meeting. Papers that are directly related to the topic of the meeting will be considered for publication in a corresponding volume of the STDJ series.
In addition, those working on other topics are encouraged to submit papers on any area of Qumran studies for one or more open sessions.
Paper proposals should be sent with the following information: name, academic institution, paper title, and an abstract of no more than 250 words. Abstracts should include explicit mention of the sources that will be discussed, a clearly formulated hypothesis, argument, or research question, and (with the special topic), consideration of which type of context is investigated and related to the scrolls.
Proposals should be submitted before 28 February, 2019 via the IOSOT Aberdeen website. For any questions, please contact IOQS president, Jutta Jokiranta, jutta.jokiranta(at)helsinki.fi, or secretary Molly Zahn, mzahn(at)ku.edu. To submit your paper you are required to first register for the IOSOT/IOQS. You will receive an email confirming your registration, after which you will be able to submit your proposal. Submitted proposals may be amended, if necessary, prior to the deadline. Proposals will be reviewed and accepted or rejected by the IOQS Executive Committee.
Submit your paper here