*What a Waste: Polluting Space, Body, and Mind in the ancient world*

The University at Buffalo Graduate Student Association seeks papers for
its second annual graduate conference. This year's theme will be What a
Waste: Polluting Space, Body, and Mind in the ancient world

This conference aims to explore how refuse and pollution were created,
conceptualized, and managed in the ancient world, particularly in
economic, societal, and religious contexts. What was thrown away? Where
did refuse go? How did ideas about pollution impact civic and religious
life? We welcome archaeological, historical, and philological
perspectives on topics ranging from sewer systems to miasma, and from
broken pots to literary trash.

Topics might include, but are certainly not limited to, the following:
-waste management, including sewer systems and trash heaps
-miasma and forms of religious impurity
-dealing with corpses and carcasses
-garbage as a metaphor

Our keynote speaker will be professor Anne Kolowski-Ostrow from Brandeis
University. This conference will take place on campus at the University
at Buffalo on October 17th-19th. one page abstracts are due August 24th,
2008. Please email all abstracts to wsduffy At buffalo.edu