This new venture aims to bring together postgraduate students from the North West and across the UK, giving a platform for the next generation of eighteenth-century scholars to share their research and ideas. Eighteenth-Century Worlds promotes innovative new research in the political, cultural, economic and social history (broadly defined) of the ‘long’ eighteenth century (c.1650-c.1850), from a variety of historical, theoretical and critical perspectives. We particularly encourage work that adopts international, comparative and/or interdisciplinary approaches to the global eighteenth century.

The workshop will feature a mix of plenary sessions, roundtable discussions and themed panels, as well as one session devoted explicitly to career development matters, with a panel of experts to include Alison Welsby (commissioning editor for the Liverpool University Press) discussing publishing strategies, CV enhancement and public engagement.

The theme for the inaugural workshop will be ‘RECEPTIONS’.

Possible topics may include, but are not limited to:
• the transnational circulation of ideas, goods and practices;
• eighteenth-century receptions of ancient Greece and Rome;
• exporting revolutions (1688/1776/1789);
• the social impact of Enlightenment thought;
• global interactions between Africa, America, Asia and Europe;
• science, technology and industrialisation;
• newspapers, books and reading;
• contemporary receptions of the eighteenth century.

Dinner, Bed and Breakfast will be provided by the organisers.

For further information, or to submit a proposal, please contact Dr Mark Towsey (towsey@liverpool.ac.uk) and Angel O’Donnell (historylab.northwest@hotmail.com). Proposals should be submitted by 31st January 2012.