People in the World of Print
The Interacting with Print Research Group Presents:
People in the World of Print A Two-Day Conference
People in the World of Print
The Interacting with Print research group brings together scholars from several disciplines (including English, German, History, Modern Languages and Art History) who share interests in European print culture between 1700 and 1900. Over the last five years, we have developed a new account of Print Culture, based on the concept of interactivity. 鈥業nteractive鈥� is a word most often associated with digital technologies, but we contend that a nuanced and historicized concept of interactivity is key to developing a deeper understanding of Print Culture. This two-day conference brings together specialists in a number of disciplines from across North America and Europe to address one large question from several angles: how did people interact with printed matter in Europe between 1700 and 1900? Approaches to Book History and Print Culture have typically been grounded in the material culture of the book; we seek to supplement these approaches by considering how print materials were used, appropriated or encountered by individuals. Alongside a history of artefacts, then, we also want to investigate a history of practices.
Examining print objects such as almanacs, novels, poetry books, reproductive prints, evangelical tracts, school textbooks, and collections of private letters, and cultural practices such as advertising, illustrating, speed-reading, collecting, circulating and annotating, this conference offers a varied but focussed understanding of the media history of Europe and its colonies. An exhibition being curated in association with the conference showcases representations of people interacting with print in the period, and makes these printed objects the occasion for new interactions. 鈥楶eople in the World of Print鈥� will interest anyone concerned with how the production, circulation, reception and uses of printed matter shapes our cultural heritage.
Dates: Thursday March 10, 9:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. in the Blackader Lauterman Library at 9I制作厂免费
Friday March 11, 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. in the Ferrier Building, Room 456 at 9I制作厂免费
Kindly RSVP to interactingwithprint [at] mcgill.ca Abstracts and schedule available at