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The Essex University History Postgraduate Forum wishes to announce the forthcoming interdisciplinary postgraduate conference
Interrogating Hearsay: Rumours and Gossip in Historical Perspective, 1500 – 2003 which will take place on 26 July 2003 at the Department of History at the University of Essex, Wivenhoe Park, Colchester, Essex, Great Britain
The conference focuses on hearsay in historical perspective, especially on rumours and gossip. Rumours are a commonly occurring and prominent form of informal communication, reflecting popular feelings and promoting social and political action. They arise in various contexts and provide a challenging but fruitful opportunity for the study of social and political history and other social sciences. However, although an important part of our daily communication, rumours have not been addressed very often in recent research.
We are interested in what historians and researchers of other social sciences can make of the phenomenon of rumour. Contributions discuss what significance rumours have and has as a medium of communication in democratic and “closed” societies and what rumours reveal about communities and their networks of communication. Other papers examine how the official perception of rumours has changed over time, what role rumours had in social movements and in promoting mass action, and what they can show about otherwise hidden hopes, wishes, and fears. The time span of the presented papers is wide, ranging from Early Modern to contemporary themes.
The conference aims at a lively exchange of ideas and stimulation, and will host an international circle of scholars and experts on the topic.
The conference is hosted by the Department of History and the History Postgraduate Forum and takes place in the University of Essex. The conference language is English. Fees are £5.00 for students and £7.00 for members of staff.
Information on the conference, contact details and registration forms are available through the Department’s web page (below).
9.00 – 9.30:
Reception – Welcome
9.30 – 10.20:
Dr. Jeremy Krikler (Head of Department):
Welcome and keynote speaker
10.20 – 10.40:
Discussion
10.40 – 11.00:
Tea/Coffee break
11.00 – 12.30:
Panel One, Chair: Prof. John Walter (Essex)
Georgios Plakotos (Glasgow):
WITNESSES, RUMOURS AND RELIGIOUS DEVIANCE: THE SHAPING OF CRYPTO-JEWISH IDENTITY IN THE INQUISITION IN VENICE, 1550 – 1680
Sheila Seymour (London):
UNWITTING HISTORY AND GOSSIP IN THE TREASON TRIAL OF THOMAS ROSEWELL, 1684
Nicky Reader (Leeds):
GOSSIP, GENDER AND IDENTITY: FEMALE FRIENDLY SOCIETIES, 1780 – 1850
12.30 – 12.45:
Short break
12. 45 – 1.45:
Philipp Muller (Florence):
NEWS AND “IDLE TALK” IN THE METROPOLIS: THE INTERRELATIONS BETWEEN BERLIN’S DAILIES AND PEOPLE’S TALK AROUND 1900
Stefan Schwarzkopf (London):
WORD OF MOUTH – PAID AND MEASURED: THE USE OF GOSSIP IN MODERN MARKETING
01.45 – 2.45:
Lunch break
02.45 – 04.15
Panel Two, Chair: Dr. Jeremy Krikler (Essex)
Antje Michel (Berlin):
RUMOUR AS SUBVERSIVE COMMUNICATION? CONCENTRATION CAMPS IN NAZI GERMANY.
Gerold Gerber (Florence):
DOING RUMOURS AND FACTS ABOUT ST. PAUL’S SHIPWRECK IN MALTA
David Main (Paisley):
DISGUSTING! WHY SOME CONTEMPORARY LEGENDS ARE MEMORABLE
04.15 – 04.45:
Tea/Coffee break
04.45 – 6.15:
Panel Three, Chair: Prof. Steve Smith (Essex)
Sergio Benvenuto (Rome):
TOWARD A THEORY OF RUMOURS: AS EXPRESSION OF REPRESSED WISHES AND BELIEFS
Anne Bruch (Hamburg):
THE PERCEPTION OF RUMOUR IN THE LITERARY GENRE OF ETIQUETTE MANUALS IN HISTORICAL PERSPECTIVE
Esther Fritsch (Cologne):
READING GOSSIP IN TONI MORRISON’S JAZZ
06.15 – 06.45:
Prof. Steve Smith: Concluding Remarks and discussion
07.00 – …
DINNER BUFFET AND DRINKS
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