The Southern African Society for Medieval and Renaissance Studies (SASMARS) Biennial International Conference 2026

We are pleased to announce that the 27th Biennial International SASMARS Conference will be held from 3 to 6 September 2026 at the Mont Fleur Conference Venue in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Papers for this interdisciplinary conference may cover any period within the Middle Ages and Renaissance, in any geographical space, and deal with any area of interest or discipline that could be relevant to the topic “Journeys — Borders — Encounters”.

Ideas to consider could include, but need not be limited to:

  • Travel and migration
  • Spiritual journeys and pilgrimage
  • Trade routes, trade, and trade goods
  • Encounters between cultures, peoples, religions, and the like.
  • Physical or metaphorical boundaries
  • Maps and map-making
  • Environments and ecology
  • Medicine and medical knowledge exchange
  • Intellectual and textual encounters and exchanges
  • War and campaigning

Proposals should consist of a title and abstract of up to 250 words, as well as the author’s name, affiliation, contact details, and a brief biography of no more than 100 words. Papers should be no longer than 20 minutes when read (approximately 2 500 words) and will be followed by Q and A.

Please submit proposals to Carin Marais by 31 December 2025. Any enquiries can be sent to the same email address.

Our keynote speaker for the 2026 conference will be Professor Jordi Sánchez-Martí of the University of Alicante, Spain.

Professor Sánchez-Martí, B.A. (Jaume I), M.A. (Bristol), Ph.D. (Cornell), is a professor in English Literature and a Partner Principal Investigator on Re-mediating the Early Book: Pasts and Futures (REBPAF). Professor Sánchez-Martí has a particular interest in Middle English romances and their transmission, as well as Iberian books of chivalry in English translation and their circulation.

2026 SASMARS Conference Details

Included in the Conference Fees

Please note that the conference will be held in person and that conference fees include the following:

  • Accommodation at the Mont Fleur Conference Venue for three nights (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday)
  • All meals, from dinner on Thursday, to lunch on Sunday, with dinners being 3-course meals.
  • Mid-morning and mid-afternoon tea and snacks.
  • Coffee and tea are available throughout the day.
  • The conference banquet on Saturday evening.
  • A 2-year membership to SASMARS.
  • A guided walk in the mountains surrounding Mont Fleur, weather permitting.

Please note that a private shuttle service will be available for transport between the Cape Town International Airport and Mont Fleur Conference Venue at an extra fee, as set out below. These shuttles are timed according to delegates’ arrival and departure flight times.

Day visitors are welcome, and the different options for day visitor attendance are outlined in the table below.

CONFERENCE FEESPayment by 20 July 2026Payment after 20 July 2026
Delegates – single roomR7 150 per personR7 300 per person
Delegates sharing a double roomR5 650 per personR5 800 per person
Registered students – single roomR7 150 per personR7 300 per person
Registered students sharing
a double room		R4 000 per personSR4 150 per person
DAY VISITOR OPTIONS
Day visitors (without lunch)R500 per person
Day visitors (including lunch)R900 per person
Conference banquet (Saturday evening)R400 per person
AIRPORT SHUTTLE TRANSPORT COSTS
Transport from Cape Town Airport to Mont Fleur (on Thursday, 3 September)R550 per person
Transport from Mont Fleur to Cape Town Airport (on Sunday, 6 September)R550 per person

A FAQ page for the 2026 SASMARS Conference is available on this page. Alternatively, please email Carin Marais.