ICAN 2015 - Fifth International Conference on the Ancient Novel (ICAN V)

ICAN V, the fifth international conference, to be held in Houston, Texas, 30 September ? 3 October 2015, 39 years after the first ICAN in Bangor, Wales. It is our fond hope that all who so wish, will be able to attend the opening ceremony on 30 September and stay until the final paper on 3 October. Every effort has been made to control costs, and yet not to diminish the quality of this conference, which stands in a long and proud line of ever higher achievements.
The world of the ancient novel of 2015 is much larger and much more encompassing and diversified than it was in 1976. We are all trying, however, to keep the atmosphere of the conference intimate and personal ? many of the participants will have attended Lisbon 2008, some Groningen 2000, fewer Dartmouth 1989, and with luck members of the class of 1976 from Bangor.
We hope that the conference structure is unobtrusive to well-being, and conducive to exchanges of ideas and values, and that the setting also affords moments of relaxation with old friends from past ICANs and new ones from 2015. We treasure the ancient world, but we recognize that if we do not develop intellectually, the results will not be pleasant. We count on the young to show new ways, and on the old to offer direction to youthful enthusiasm.
This is the second ICAN in North America: the setting of the first was rural New England, the second will be brash USA ? not too brash since the Menil Collection in Houston offers us the mosaics from Antioch of Parthenope and Metiochus.
-- Gareth Schmeling