Conference | 12 -13 June 2025 | Aberystwyth University
Communication and Exchange in the Early Modern (c.1500 – 1850): ‘Far from Home’
Call for Papers, deadline – 28 February 2025
After a successful conference in May 2024 we are proud to advertise the Second Annual Communication and Exchange in the Early Modern at Aberystwyth University. Our project aims to bring together researchers from around the globe for authoritative and constructive discussion on the medium of communication and exchange. The conference is broad in its approach and encourages the promotion of innovative research which touches upon communication history.
A publication of the proceeding to follow this conference is expected.
From dissenters to diplomats, students to soldiers, peddlers to priests; people in the early modern world were always on the move. They were often situated in strange new cultures and exchanged their ideas in faraway places. The continued improvements of roads and waystations made it possible for an increasingly mobile community to travel effectively, and return correspondence bound for home efficiently. In time, smaller but distinct communities composed of exiles and expatriates started to take shape, often in the shadow of European nation building. Although away from home plenty of writers still looked to be proactively engaged in the affairs of their friends, families and followers. Our intention for this year’s theme ‘Far from home’ is to approach the wide-ranging topic of mobility and situate it at the very heart of early modern communication and exchange. This conference will explore the value of cultural and intellectual mobility as well as the diverse practices of networking in the early modern world.
For this conference, we invite scholars of all professional levels and disciplines with an interest in early modern communication and exchange to contribute on the following themes:
- Mobility of people and ideas.
- Exchanges of family, followers, and friendship.
- Colonial and overseas anxieties.
- Networks of the diasporic, radical, and marginalized.
- Diplomatic and clandestine news networks.
- Structures of communication.
- Global trade and mercantile communities.
- Expressions of gender, ethnicity, and nationality.
- Print culture and material exchange.
- Intellectual, cultural, and religious exchange.
- (Reconstruction of) space and soundscapes.
- Welsh culture beyond Wales.
For 15-20 minute paper proposals, please submit an abstract of 200-words and a short biography (maximum of 100 words) to communicationandexchange@gmail.com. 700-word panel suggestions of three speakers are welcome, and we encourage those proposals to suggest a broad panel aim. The deadline for all submissions is Friday 28th February 2025. We will inform our outcome to speakers no later than April 2025. The perspective conference dates are 12-13th June 2025, in the International Politics Building, Penglais Campus, Aberystwyth University. A hybrid platform can be offered to speakers outside of the United Kingdom, although we highly encourage in person participation.
Aberystwyth University was established in 1872 and is the oldest academic institution in Wales. The University has a distinct international academic pedigree and is a forefront of modern arts and humanities scholarship in Wales. The university neighbors the highly prestigious National Library of Wales. The Communication and Exchange conference is convened by Joey Crozier, Heather Nicholas, and Rachael Harman.