Rethinking Enlightenment: Conference on Forgotten Women Writers of Eighteenth Century France
Houghton Library
Friday, March 23, 2-5pm
Online registration: http://bit.ly/2CVXLFj
The French Enlightenment is famous for its intellectual innovations, but it is remembered largely as a male endeavor. This conference delves deeper into the works of women showcased in the groundbreaking Houghton Library exhibition Rethinking Enlightenment: Forgotten Women Writers of Eighteenth Century France (on view through April 28), who participated in the Enlightenment’s intellectual and political transformations but were excluded from histories of the period until recently. Join us for presentations from six scholars who are challenging the male-dominated narrative as they offer detailed analyses of the historical sources and historiography of these women and chart future directions for the field. The conference will include a viewing of the exhibition and related collection items, and will be followed by a reception.
Speakers
- Martine Reid, Université de Lille
- Vicki E. Mistacco, Wellesley College
- Christie McDonald, Harvard University
- Matthew Barfield, Harvard University
- Caleb Shelburne, Harvard University
- Henry Shreffler, Harvard University
Co-sponsored by Houghton Library and the Department of Romance Languages & Literatures
