Call for Papers

SCSECS 2025

Lost and Found in the Eighteenth Century

 
The South Central Society for Eighteenth Century Studies invites you to present papers and organize conference panels on being lost and found in the long eighteenth century. Whether one is lost at sea or lost in thought, finding one's bearings can bring about new insights and inspirations. Discovering the answers to the mysteries of existence has led to whole new understandings of the world around and within us -- and whole new speculations about the unseen and unknown. We look forward to hearing your guiding perspectives.
 

  Individual paper proposals and proposals for full panels (with presenters) will be accepted until December 1, 2024. Before submitting an individual paper proposal, please see our list of proposed panels below and contact the chair directly. We recommend that you include an abstract of up to 250 words along with the paper's title. If none of the panels seems to fit your idea, contact SCSECS Venues Chair Kevin Cope directly.

The conference will be held February 6-8, 2025 at the historic Magnolia Hotel. Nestled in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this beautiful beaux-arts building--once home to the executive offices of the Magnolia (which later became Mobil) Petroleum Company--provides easy access on foot or by public transportation to many of Dallas's cultural and historic destinations, including the Dallas Arts District, the Sixth Floor Museum at Dealy Plaza, and Dallas Heritage Village. Live music and good food are also a short walk away.

 

For further information about the conference or the conference venue, please contact Kevin Cope at encope@lsu.edu

 

SCSECS February 2025 proposed panels

If your paper idea fits one of these topics, please contact the panel chair directly.
Otherwise, email Kevin Cope at encope@lsu.edu

 

Note: Some untitled panel proposals consider travels to, from, and within unfamiliar lands and spaces and travel literature as related to Fanny Burney and Jane Austen. A special panel on eighteenth-century music is being developed in memory of Dr. Gloria Eive, who passed away earlier this year. Individual paper proposals we have received so far have included, among other suggestions, an examination of the effects of losing one's vanity and, perhaps therefore, one's sense of self and finding a lost ancestor.

"Losing and Finding God (and Vice Versa) in the Long Eighteenth Century." -- Chair, Brett McInelly. brett_mcinelly@byu.edu

"Intercultural Dialogues, Translations, and Philosophies." -- Chair: Linda Reesman. LReesman@qcc.cuny.edu

"Interdisciplinary Approaches to the Long Eighteenth Century." -- Chair, Kathryn Duncan. kathryn.duncan@saintleo.edu

"Lost in Austen." -- Chair, Kathryn Duncan. kathryn.duncan@saintleo.edu

"Asia in the Eighteenth Century." -- Chair, Susan Spencer. sspencer@uco.edu

"Lost and Found in the Novels of Frances Burney." -- Chair, Catherine Parisian. catherine.parisian@uncp.edu

"Lost in the Archives." -- Chair, Catherine Parisian. catherine.parisian@uncp.edu

"Lost (or Found) at Sea: Lessons from Maritime Trade, Leisure, and Exploration in the 18th century." -- Chair, Susan Spencer. sspencer@uco.edu

"Found, Lost, and Found Again: Discovery, Rediscovery, and Recovery in All Aspects of the Long Eighteenth-Century Experience." -- Chair, Kevin Cope. encope@lsu.edu

"Ghosts of Artists Past: Finding Lost Sources for Artworks Created During the Long 18th Century." -- Chair: Dr. Elizabeth Lisot-Nelson. elisot@uttyler.edu

"Les Objets (indigènes) trouvés: Indigenous lost and found along the Mississippi in 18th-century French documents." Closed panel.

 

   The blue background and decorative details on this and other pages on the SCSECS website were taken from some of many beautiful books on the Noel Collection shelves.

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