This seminar’s focus is on the physicality of English printed books and manuscripts, whether they be strictly literary or not. We are especially interested in how particular editions and manuscripts shape the text’s interpretation and reading practices. Research topics include, but are not restricted to: finding rare editions and manuscripts, archival work, book and manuscript collections, printing practices and scribal work, palaeography, manuscripts as books, the coexistence of manuscripts and printed books, editing printed books and manuscripts, electronic versus printed editions, editing and digital humanities.

Argument

This seminar’s focus is on the physicality of English printed books and manuscripts, whether they be strictly literary or not. We are especially interested in how particular editions and manuscripts shape the text’s interpretation and reading practices. Research topics include, but are not restricted to: finding rare editions and manuscripts, archival work, book and manuscript collections, printing practices and scribal work, palaeography, manuscripts as books, the coexistence of manuscripts and printed books, editing printed books and manuscripts, electronic versus printed editions, editing and digital humanities.

Bibliographical and manuscript studies have been on the cutting edge of literary theory and papers on authorship, on the constitution of the text or on hermeneutics are most welcome.

In other words, the three main interests of the seminar concern the material aspects of manuscripts and printed books, problems of palaeography and mise-en-page, as well as questions of methodology, bibliography, and practice overview. Scholars are therefore invited to share their experience in dealing with these issues.

Abstract submission

Participants are invited to submit a 250-word abstract of their proposed papers to the convenors of the seminar

before 31 January 2018.

Submissions should include:

• Name
• Institutional affiliation
• E-mail (please, limit to one address)
• Title of paper
• Abstract (max. 250 words) + 3-5 keywords

Seminair : 29 August – 2 September 2018

Convenors

• Prof. Carlo Bajetta, Professor of English Literature – Università della Valle d'Aosta / Université de la Vallée d'Aoste - c.bajetta@univda.it
• Dr. Guillaume Coatelen, Lecturer, University of Cergy-Pontoise, Paris, France - guillaume.coatalen@u-cergy.fr
• Dr. Ileana Sasu, Associate Researcher, Centre d’Etudes Supérieures  de Civilisation Médiévale, Paris, France - sasuileana@gmail.com