BASEES 19th-century Study Group
Workshop: Russian 19th Century Studies: The State of the Art
Monday, 19 December 2011, 12pm-5pm, University of Leeds
The BASEES 19th-century Study Group has in recent years seen a marked diminishment in participation by research-active scholars currently employed in British universities. As convenors of the Study Group, we are concerned to understand why this is happening and to breathe new life into the Group by making changes to its remit and activities. These changes should reflect the needs and interests of the academic community that the Study Group is supposed to serve. To this end, in place of the annual symposium, we are convening a workshop at which colleagues who consider themselves to have a stake in 19th-century Russian studies, from whatever disciplinary perspective, will have the opportunity to shape the future direction of the Study Group.
The question of the function of the 19th-century Study Group is tightly bound up with the broader question as to the state of 19th-century Russian studies more generally, both in the UK and worldwide. We propose to devote the first half of the workshop to an exploration of the state of the art. We are interested in pursuing such questions as:
• What is the present extent and nature of research into 19th-century Russia?
• How far is this pursued within narrow disciplinary boundaries?
• What questions are being asked about the 19th century?
• Which fields are in decline, and which are growing?
• With what challenges are 19th-century Russian studies presented by current Government policy on research in the arts and humanities?
• How do you see your own research fitting into the broader picture?
We propose to organise mini-panels on the state of 19th-century Russian studies from the perspective of a range of disciplines. Suggested discipline groupings are: Art History; Cultural History; Cultural Studies; History; Intellectual History/Philosophy; Literature; Performing Arts; Political Science; Religious Studies/Theology; Social Studies; Visual Arts. We invite you to offer a short 5-minute presentation from the point of view of your discipline and your research. Presentations will lead to a general discussion. Since we are anxious to attract scholars from as wide a range of disciplines as possible to this workshop, please do not hesitate to offer a presentation on a discipline not mentioned above. You are of course welcome to attend the workshop without offering a presentation.
After a break for refreshments, there will follow a round-table discussion focussed on the future of the BASEES 19th-century Study Group and its ongoing remit, including suggestions for future conferences, activities and publications.
We would also particularly welcome the participation of postgraduates working in the 19th century, not least because they are the future of the field. Please circulate this invitation as widely as you can.
The workshop is free of charge to attend, and includes a complimentary buffet lunch at 12pm, with the first session starting at 1pm.
Please register your interest in attending and/or presenting a position paper by writing to Ruth Coates ([log in to unmask]) or Sarah Hudspith ([log in to unmask]) by 31 October 2011.
SLAVONIC-EE-POSTGRAD, a list for postgraduate students in Slavonic and East European Studies in the UK and elsewhere, is a project of BASEES, the British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies (www.basees.org.uk). For subscription information, please see www.basees.org.uk/postgrads.htm . To unsubscribe, see instructions at www.jiscmail.ac.uk .
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