A Conference in Honor of James Hankins

Image: Giorgio Vasari, Six Tuscan Poets (c. 1544). Oil on panel. Minneapolis Institute of Art. Detail.

A Conference in Honor of James Hankins
Organized by David Lines and Ann Blair
13–14 February 2026
 

This is a hybrid event. In-person attendance at Robinson Hall (History Department Conference Room) is open to all without registration. To join via Zoom, please register here.

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Friday, 13 February

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2:30 Introduction (Dan Smail, chair of History Department)
 

Chair: Eric Nelson

• 2:45 Daniel Stein Kokin
  Moses and the (Other) Ancient Lawgivers: Tracing a Renaissance Trope
• 3:05 Luka Špoljarić
  Enea Silvio Piccolomini's Europe of Nations in Context
• 3:25 Justin Stover
  Early Renaissance Historiography, Matoci to Bruni
• 3:45 Discussion

4:00 Break

Chair: Hannah Marcus

• 4:30 David Lines
  Ulisse Aldrovandi's Manuscript Lectures
• 4:50 Stuart McManus
  Teaching Chinese in late Renaissance Oxford (via Zoom)
• 5:10 Liz Mellyn
  Comments/Reminiscences
• 5:20 Evan MacCarthy
  Comments/Reminiscences
• 5:30 Discussion

5:45 End

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Saturday, 14 February

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Chair: Christopher Celenza

• 9:15 John Gagné
  Leonardo Bruni in Australia
• 9:35 Anthony D'Elia
  Latin & Virtue at Harvard: the Uncensored Platina & Petrarch on Gladiator Virtue
• 9:55 Ada Palmer
  Teaching the Renaissance as an Antidote to Doom and Division
• 10:15 Discussion

10:30 Break

Chair: Ann Blair

• 10:50 Michael Tworek
  Ars longa, machina longior: AI and Immortalizing James Hankins
• 11:10 Gladden Pappin
  Comments/Reminiscences (via Zoom)
• 11:20 Patrick Baker
  Comments/Reminiscences
• 11:30 Ariane Schwartz
  Comments/Reminiscences
• 11:40 Discussion and Wrap-up

12:00 End

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