Order and Chaos
22 - 25 November 2023
University of Cape Town
The 34th Biennial Conference of the Classical Association of South Africa will be hosted by the University of Cape Town and will be held from 22 - 25 November 2023. The theme of the conference is 'Order and Chaos'.
Venue:
University of Cape Town (Cape Town, South Africa) Keynotes: Mary Beard (Cambridge), Stephen Harrison (Oxford), Elizabeth Irwin (Columbia), Federico Santangelo (Newcastle)
Please email conference@casa-kvsa.org.za with any queries.
CASA Membership:
Membership of the Classical Association of South Africa (CASA) is a prerequisite for registration if you are presenting at the conference. To become a member of the Classical Association, please complete the membership form at https://casa-kvsa.org.za/membership/.
Registration:
Registration is now closed.
Additional public (i.e. non-delegate) tickets for Professor Beard’s keynote talk are available here (registered conference delegates already have access to this lecture as part of the conference programme): https://summerschool.uct.ac.za/articles/2023-11-01-dystopian-world-roman-emperor.
Conference Fee:
Please take note of the breakdown of conference fees below:
Full Conference fee: ZAR2500 (excl. Conference Dinner)
Day fee: ZAR1000
Half-day fee: ZAR500
Conference Dinner fee (optional): ZAR500
Conference Programme:
View the current draft programme
Each paper in the parallel sessions has a 30-minute slot (i.e. 20 minutes for the talk with 10 minutes for questions)
Basic Schedule:
Wednesday 22nd
Early afternoon: CASA and AClass Executive Meetings
Mid-afternoon: Registration
Late afternoon: Keynote: Professor Mary Beard
Evening: CASA reception
Thursday 23rd
Morning: Keynote: Professor Federico Santangelo
Full day: Parallel Sessions
Friday 24th
Morning: Keynote: Professor Elizabeth Irwin
Full day: Parallel Sessions
Evening: Conference Dinner
Saturday 25th
Morning: Parallel Sessions
Late Morning: Keynote: Professor Stephen Harrison
Midday: CASA AGM
Afternoon: optional excursion
Excursion, 25th November:
This will be an opportunity to sample some of the best wines produced in the Cape’s iconic Constantia Valley, the cradle of wine-making in South Africa, going back to the mid- 17th century. Our bus will leave UCT at 14h00 (after lunch), with the first tasting scheduled at Klein Constantia, followed by a second tasting at Groot Constantia, and we will be dropped off on Upper Campus again by 18h30.
The cost per person will be between ZAR 800 and R 1000, depending on numbers and on the tasting options chosen at Groot Constantia – since some people might wish to include Vin de Constance which is not part of the premium tasting, or to try the wine-and-chocolate pairing – and will include transport, two full tastings, transport and a complimentary, branded wine glass (Groot Constantia).
We have up to 22 places available. Email roman.roth@uct.ac.za by no later than Thursday evening (16 November) if you wish to take part.
Travel:
Public transport in Cape Town is not recommended.
Airport transfer:
We recommend the following options:
(a) arrange an airport transfer in advance through a shuttle service (e.g. V Transfers, Fair Cape, Shuttle Cape Town). These services will typically meet you in the arrivals hall.
(b) e-hailing (e.g. Uber); prebook an uber to collect you from Cape Town International. Supply your flight details in advance so that your driver can track any delays. From the airport exit, follow the signs to e-hailing pickup.
Cape Town International is equipped with Eduroam Wi-Fi.
Getting around:
Conference delegates will be able to make use of the UCT Shuttle; for travel on the shuttle, you will need to wear your conference badge and be ready to present the shuttle letter (badge and letter are provided at registration).
Generally, e-hailing (e.g. Uber) provides the easiest way to get around. Another option is to hire a car for your stay. Guesthouse owners may be able to assist with transport.
Parking on campus:
Conference delegates who are driving to UCT may park on campus in unmarked (student) bays below the access boom. There will be no cost to park on campus for the conference.
Locations of main student bays: P17, P5, and P4
Accommodation:
Delegates are responsible for making their own travel arrangements and for securing their own accommodation in Cape Town. A list of suggested accommodation options close to UCT’s Upper Campus is given below (this list is updated frequently):
Within walking distance:
All Africa House, 43 Stanley Road, Rondebosch (on UCT’s Middle Campus, a short walk from Upper Campus)
CampusKey, 24 Main Road, Rosebank
Forest Hill, 95 Main Road, Mowbray (a fairly long walk)
Knightsbury, 15 Linkoping Road, Rondebosch
La Grotto, 32 Grotto Road, Rondebosch
Little Scotia, 5 Rustenberg Avenue, Rondebosch
Newlands Cottages, Klipper Road, Rondebosch
Newlands Guest House, 4 Alcis Road, Newlands
Further afield:
Brooklands House, 3 Surbiton Road, Rosebank
Hedge House, 12 Argyle Road, Rondebosch
Oakvale Lodge, 59 Sandown Road, Rondebosch
Protea Hotel, Liesbeeck Avenue, Mowbray
Tom’s Guest House, 44 Breda Street, Oranjezicht
Vineyard Hotel, Colinton Road, Newlands
Electricity (Load Shedding):
South Africa is currently facing rolling blackouts (or load shedding) due to a shortage of electricity supply, and these outages may still be in effect during the days of the conference. Most of the conference venues are resilient to electricity cuts, but it is important to be prepared for any outage. We suggest downloading the EskomSePush App (ESP) and adding the relevant zones in Cape Town (UCT is ‘University of Cape Town (15) – City of Cape Town’) to view the area schedule and to receive push notifications for upcoming loadshedding.
The main plug type used in South Africa is ‘SANS 164-1’ (image)
Other events during and after the conference:
Colloquium: Cohabitation, Cooperation, and Conquest in Archaic and Early Roman Italy, 23rd November
There will be a Debating Early Rome event, in conjunction with the Conference. Click here for the programme. For more information about the colloquium, please contact Roman Roth at roman.roth@uct.ac.za. The colloquium will be held in the Humanities Building LT 1A.
Book Launch: Goodbye, Dr Banda (Alexander Chula), 23rd November:
There will be a book launch in the Beattie Lecture Theatre on Thursday 23 November at 18h15 after the conference sessions close. Alexander Chula will be in conversation with Professor Richard Whitaker (UCT) about his book ‘Goodbye, Dr Banda: Lessons for the West From a Small African Country‘.
Date: 23 November
Time: 18h15 – 19h00
Venue: Beattie LT
ReTAGS events: Choral Performance on 26th November and Conference from 28th to 29th November:
There are two ReTAGS (Reimagining Tragedy from Africa and the Global South) events taking place between Sunday 26th November and Wednesday 29th November.
Sunday 26th
Free choral showcase at Magnet Theatre (featuring standalone choral performances from past ReTAGS productions: Antigone (not quite/quiet), Oedipus at Colonus, and iKrele leChiza. To reserve a ticket please email jennyh@magnettheatre
Tuesday 28th and Wednesday 29th
Conference at the Baxter Theatre; retrospective with respondents on five years of research on tragedy in the global south. Click here for the conference page
For more information about the ReTAGS event, please contact Mark Fleishman at mark.fleishman@uct.ac.za.