From ‘Provincial’ to ‘Regional’ A conference in memory of Peter Issac and John Hinks

Print Networks
From ‘Provincial’ to ‘Regional’ A conference in memory of Peter Issac and John Hinks
Wednesday 23 July 23, to  Thursday 24 July 2025 | Winterbourne House & Garden | University of Birmingham Birmingham
The shift in book history studies in the past forty years is our theme. In the 1980s the model of ‘centre and periphery’ was used as a spatial metaphor for the relationship between established centres of book production and their wider markets. It was the organizing principle behind the construction of the British Book Trade Index [BBTI] and the series of annual seminars on the provincial trade which became Print Networks. In the 2000s the focus of research shifted to a ‘networks’ model, highlighting the connections of people, trade and distribution within and across regions and nations. Papers should focus on Great Britain and Ireland and proposals on all periods of print from early modern to the present are welcome. Papers relating to the Midlands will be particularly appropriate.

How to apply  Proposals for papers of twenty minutes and for themed panels of three or more speakers are invited. Forms of presentation other than papers are also welcome, such as performance, film, artefacts and displays. Abstracts of 300 words should be accompanied by brief biographies and sent to Caroline Archer-Parré by 31 January 2025. It is understood that papers offered to the conference will be original work and will not have been previously delivered to any similar conference or published elsewhere. More information here.