The Open University, Milton Keynes, UK
2nd-4th April 2027

Symposiarchs: Angeliki Lymberopoulou & Stavroula Constantinou

The 57^th Spring Symposium of Byzantine Studies 2027 (The Open University, UK) is calling for papers that explore fake news and gossip in every aspect of Byzantine studies. Have fake news and gossip dominated socio-political interaction for millennia rather than characterise post-modern life with the generous facilitation of the internet and social media? The longevity of the Byzantine Empire provides a perfect stage to both reflect on and address this question.

Please send your title and a short proposal (no more than 200 words) to Angeliki Lymberopoulou (angeliki.lymberopoulou@open.ac.uk) and Stavroula Constantinou (constantinou.stavroula@ucy.ac.cy) by Monday 30^th November 2026.

Successful applicants will be notified by Friday, 18^th December 2026.

Symposium Abstract

Fake news and gossip seem to dominate our present life. The former dominates politics, the latter everyday activities. The importance of global issues regarding war, pandemics, famine and climate change cannot possibly de-throne ‘juicy’ news about famous people. Taking sentences out of context and dissecting words seem to attract more attention than the overarching ‘bigger picture’. Considering that the Byzantine Empire is one of longest lasting in human history, the Symposium seeks to explore how similar aspects were manifest within that culture. Have, indeed, fake news and gossip dominated socio-political interaction for millennia rather than characterise post-modern life with the generous facilitation of internet and social media? The longevity of Byzantine Empire provides a perfect stage to address this question. A selection of invited multi-disciplinary papers will look closely at history and historiography, religion, art history and socio-political manifestations.