A Joint Conference organised by History and the Centre for Humanities, Music and Performing Arts (HuMPA) at Plymouth University and Umeå Group for Pre-modern Studies To be held at Plymouth University, 29-31 August 2013

Keynote Speakers: Professor Barbara J. Harris (University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill) and Professor Merry Wiesner-Hanks (University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee)

This conference investigates gender and political culture during the period 1400 to 1800, and the organizers welcome proposals for papers on topics related to the conference theme. The conference aims to create possibilities for comparative research and is therefore looking to attract a broad variety of studies across periods, disciplines and geographical regions. We also wish to attract both senior scholars and doctoral students. During the conference there will be sessions where participants present papers, and a workshop where participants may present work in progress or project ideas.

Proposals are invited for papers that treat the following indicative areas:
• the relationship between gender, power and political authority
• gendered aspects of monarchy; representations of power and authority
• gender, office-holding, policy-making and counsel
• courts, patronage and political influence
• elite culture and political networks
• gender, the public sphere and political participation
• popular politics, protest and petitioning
• manuscript, print, oral, material and visual cultures
• news, intelligence and the spread of information
• political ideas, ideologies and language
• conceptualizations of ‘public’ and ‘private’ spheres and what constituted ‘power’ and ‘politics’
• the family as a ‘political unit’
• the politicization of social activities: marriage-arranging, placing children in other households, gift-giving, hospitality and letter-writing

Proposals for papers or workshops, including titles and abstracts (of no more than 300 words) and a brief author biography should be sent to Professor James Daybell (james.daybell@plymouth.ac.uk), Plymouth University or Professor Svante Norrhem (svante.norrhem@historia.umu.se), Umeå University before 1 March 2013. There are also a small number of conference bursaries available for junior scholars, which will cover conference fee and accommodation for three nights. If you are interested in being considered for one of the bursaries, please send a CV, brief covering letter and letter of recommendation along with your title and abstract. Conference website: http://www1.plymouth.ac.uk/research/humpa/news/Pages/Gender-and-Political-Culture-1400-1800-Conference.aspx