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The International Medieval Congress (IMC) is organised and administered bythe Institute for Medieval Studies (IMS), University of Leeds, UK.Since its start in 1994, the conference has established itself as an annualevent with an attendance of over 1,700 medievalists from all over the world.It is the largest conference of its kind in Europe. Drawing medievalistsfrom over 40 countries, with over 1,000 individual papers and 350 academicsessions and a wide range of concerts, performances, readings, round tables,excursions, book fair and associated events, the Leeds InternationalMedieval Congress is Europe's richest and largest annual gathering in thehumanities.The IMC seeks to provide an interdisciplinary forum for the discussion ofall aspects of medieval studies. Papers and sessions on any medieval topicor theme are welcome. Each Congress has one particular special thematicstrand on an area of interdisciplinary study in a wider context. However,this strand is not intended to be an exclusive and submissions from allspheres of medieval research, in any major European language, are welcome.Call for Papers: IMC 2013Medieval monotheist traditions had specific cultural attitudes towardspleasure, with a strong focus on the division of this world and theafterlife. Pleasure was often either spiritual or corporeal, althoughsometimes seen as both (as in the mystical/ecstatic experience). Theattitudes towards pleasure were ambiguous: with the threat of the devil onone side, and the enticement of heaven on the other, pleasure was linked toboth joy and pain. Questions around pleasure were posed in philosophical andtheological debates throughout the Middle Ages. Pleasure was nonetheless anexperience commonly and eagerly sought for - in all its forms and by allsocial groups. Aristocratic life across the medieval Eurasian zone isparticularly represented as a culture of pleasure in both iconography andliterature. The balance between celestial and terrestrial values wasrenegotiated in the late medieval period, so that pleasure became anaspiration for all.Areas of discussion could include:•  Diverging cultural attitudes toward pleasure •  Earthly pleasure versusspiritual pleasure •  Visual and narrative representations of pleasure •Social and corporeal manifestations of pleasure •  Pleasurable activities •Individual and collective experiences of pleasure •  Prohibition andcondemnation of pleasure •  Chastity, celibacy, fasting, and abstinence •Love / sexuality / pleasures of the flesh - and their specific culturalexpressions •  Medical theories and approaches to pleasure •  Mysticism,spirituality, and pleasure •  Creating and/or experiencing pleasure •Entertainment and leisure •  Humour and fun •  Material culture and evidenceof pleasure •  Pleasure and luxury / cultural goods / worldlinessWe prefer proposals to be completed online - a quick, easy, and securemethod (http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ims/imc/). Paper proposals must be submittedby 31 August 2012; Session proposals must be submitted by 30 September 2012.The IMC welcomes session and paper proposals submitted in all major Europeanlanguages.For further details please contact:Axel E. W. MüllerInternational Medieval Congress Administration Institute for MedievalStudies Parkinson 1.03 University of Leeds LEEDS, LS2 9JT UKTel: +44 (0)113 343 3614Fax: +44 (0)113 343 3616Email: IMC@leeds.ac.uk