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CFP: Playing the Middle Ages ( ‘Playing the Middle Ages’-Session at the Leeds International Medieval Congress (IMC), from 1 to 4 July 2019.)Deadline: 14. 09. 2018&#160;"The Public Medievalist is pleased to sponsor a series of sessions around the theme ‘Playing the Middle Ages’ at the Leeds International Medieval Congress (IMC), from 1 to 4 July 2019.The medium of games is vibrant and powerful. Over the last few decades the rise and spread of computer games, a renaissance in board and tabletop games, and a popularisation of roleplaying games and LARPing. These games are of interest to medievalists and educators for a wide range of reasons. They can engage their players with historical period. They can be used to teach theory and historical debates. They can act as research tools. They can even fundamentally influence how we think and talk about the Middle Ages.This strand moves beyond well-trodden debates over historical accuracy and authenticity in games to consider the utility of this medium in the classroom, in our research, and in the wider world. We invite papers that address any aspects of the expression of the medieval period in any and all forms of modern games.Topics may include (but are not restricted to):Games as teaching toolsGame Design and MechanicsGender in games and gaming communitiesGames as national narrativesHistorical research in support of gamesAppropriation of games by extremist groupsEngaging Historiography through GamesControversy in and around gamesDifferentiation between history and fantasyRoleplay and SimulationArchaeology in/of gamesGames as historical debate and researchWe encourage submissions from medievalists or games and media scholars at any point in their career. We also welcome pieces dealing with any region of the globe, and within a very broad definition of ‘medieval’—including the pseudo-medieval fantasy genre.Participants will be invited to adapt their papers for publication on The Public Medievalist.Abstracts should not exceed 300 words and should be sent, as attachments in Word, to Robert.Houghton@Winchester.ac.uk by Friday 14 September.&#160;https://www.academia.edu/37148626/Call_for_Papers_Playing_the_Middle_Ages