Students are invited to explore the Folger collection with Ann Blair and Peter Stallybrass:
Researching the Archive
Yearlong Dissertation Seminar
This monthly seminar focuses on the wealth of archival material available for the study of the history, culture, society, and literature of early modern Britain and Europe. Seminar participants will explore a variety of printed and manuscript sources relevant to both English and History Ph.D. candidates and will learn (with the assistance of Folger staff) some essential research skills. Throughout, the goal will be to foster interdisciplinary scholarship while considering broad methodological and theoretical problems relevant to current work in early modern studies. Preference will be given to applicants who have completed course work and preliminary exams; they should be preparing a prospectus or beginning to write chapters and be ready to make significant use of the Library’s collections as part of their monthly visits. Applicants should consult with their dissertation directors before applying to ensure that their work is at a stage that would benefit from the seminar, and their directors should certify that this is the case in their recommendation letters. Those whose dissertations are substantially complete will not be competitive applicants.Co-directors: Ann Blair is Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor in the Department of History at Harvard University where she teaches courses in the history of the book, early modern intellectual and cultural history, and French history. Her publications include Too Much To Know: Managing Scholarly Information Before the Modern Age (2010). Her current book project focuses on the role and working methods of amanuenses from 1500 to 1650. Peter Stallybrass is Annenberg Professor in the Humanities at the University of Pennsylvania, where he directs the History of Material Texts. He has done extensive research at the Folger, collaborating on projects with Heather Wolfe and Frank Mowery. He is at present working with Roger Chartier on a history of the book from wax tablets to e-books.
Schedule: Friday afternoons, 1:00 – 4:30 p.m., 6 October, 20 October, 17 November, 8 December 2017; 19 January, 16 February, 16 March, 27 April 2018.
Apply: 12 June 2017 for admission and grants-in-aid. Visit http://www.folger.edu/application-information-and-guidelines[folger.edu] to access the application instructions and portal.
Please contact [email protected] with any questions.