Meet me at “Leadership in Middle-earth” conference in Zurich, Switzerland (hybrid/ free – March 14th)
I have always wanted to give a talk titled Gandalf: the perfect mentor for the underachievers. Now, this conference would have my been my chance to do so but I am doing the next best thing – I will be participating in this conference in person, thanks to the kind support of the Lauterbrunnen Tourist Authority and the ever wonderful Lukas of Eredgiliath.
Here are the basics about this conference
When March 14, 2026.
Where University of Zurich, Switzerland.
In-person/ online Both. Please kindly register here for free.
Speakers You’ll find the full list here, among them José María Miranda Boto, Matthew Dickerson and Claudio A. Testi.
Tolkien’s portrayal of leadership is neither simple nor nostalgic. While The Lord of the Rings celebrates wisdom, courage, and sacrifice, it also warns against the corrupting force of power. From Gandalf’s refusal of the Ring to the humility of the Hobbits, Tolkien presents a spectrum of leadership that oscillates between service and temptation.
How to contact Official site/ Instagram
I am incredibly happy to be back again with this conference – you can read my report on the first installment.
It quickly became clear to me that this very first edition of this academic conference had a truly impressive basis to start from. Now, I have participated in many conferences over the years and I have seen a few “firsts” so I do have a few experiences to compare it with. And to have three universities from two countries, a friends’ association and a regulars’ table of a literary society join forces as well as the support of one of the leading specialist publishers on Middle-earth, Walking Tree, is absolutely amazing.
Will I be seeing you there?
Shoot me an email [marcel(at)thetolkienist(dot)com], contact me on Facebook or Instagram or Bluesky.
I’d love to meet up for a cuppa and a chat. ☺️
