“So Sudden an Alteration” Conference’s Call for Papers

Earlier this year I shared news of the “American Revolution Reborn” conference in Philadelphia, an attempt to reinvigorate the study of the Revolution in advance of its Sestercentennial.

On 2-4 9-11 Apr 2015, the Massachusetts Historical Society will host another conference in the same series, organized with Boston University, the David Library of the American Revolution, and Williams College. The theme will be “‘So Sudden an Alteration’: The Causes, Course, and Consequences of the American Revolution,” and here’s the call for papers:

This conference aims to break out of the well-worn grooves of historical inquiry that have defined the study of the Revolution for the past fifty years. The program is designed to promote two types of conversations, shaped by: 1) traditional questions of origins and consequences addressed from new perspectives; and 2) questions of intersection—how the Revolution either affected or redirected longer-term patterns of change. We hope that the conference will bring into focus key themes that will inspire future scholarship.

In particular, the organizers are seeking papers that address issues of politics and ideology, the impact of military developments and military actions on society, and the course of Revolution in New England. Scholarship need not focus on Massachusetts or New England and may address the impact of the Revolution on the broader Atlantic world. The conference organizers seek papers that speak to these themes and questions in an innovative way and may reserve some slots for invited scholars.

Aside from the keynote speaker, presenters will not deliver their papers aloud; the papers under discussion will be available at the Society’s website to registered attendees approximately one month before the program. Submissions should include a one-page description of up to 500 words and a short c.v. with current contact information.

The deadline for proposals is 21 Feb 2014. Send proposals to Conrad Edick Wright, Director of Research, Massachusetts Historical Society, 1154 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02215.