ASECS – The foremost learned society in the US for the study of the long 18th Century

WELCOME

The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, established in 1969, is the foremost learned society in the United States for the study of all aspects of the long eighteenth century.

WHO WE ARE

MEMBERSHIP

A Masked Ball in Bohemia, attributed to Andreas Altomonte, ca. 1748. Austrian. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Red LOVE sculpture in the John F. Kennedy Plaza.

ANNUAL MEETING

The CfP is open for the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies , to be held April 9-11, 2026, in Philadelphia!

Submit your session proposal now!

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Love Sculpture Photo, K Huff for PHLCVB

MEMBERS

ASECS promotes the study and teaching of the long eighteenth century through diverse networks at membership, society, and international levels. Engage with other members and partners to support our mission and the field.

Tartars Playing Polo, Kano Eisen’in Furunobu 狩野永川院古 , early 18th Century. Japan.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.

LATEST NEWS

*Painting of an Indian Woman*. Anna Maria von Phul, 1818. Native American.
Missouri Historical Society

CALL FOR PAPERS

“Embodied Knowledge Practices in the Early Modern World” Conference at the University of AmsterdamMonday, 15 June 2026 How do material conditions shape how and what we know about the natural world? In…

American Historical Association virtual congressional briefing on AI

Tomorrow, Wednesday, October 29, at 9:30 a.m the American Historical Association invites you to attend a Congressional Briefing offering historical perspectives on artificial intelligence, privacy, an…

Location Updated for the 52nd Annual Meeting of SEASECS

The 52nd Annual Meeting of SEASECS will be held at Jackson State University in Jacksonville, Alabama, on March 5-7, 2026. For more information, including conference theme, keynote speaker, and hotel r…

Book Publication: British Law and Literature in the Long Eighteenth Century

Announcing the publication of British Law and Literature in the Long Eighteenth Century (Cambridge UP). The volume shows how legal developments of the period shaped and were shaped by imaginative writ…

All News and Updates

The bold interlocking swirl of red and white suggests worldly dualities. Painted ceramics such as this are synonymous with Quapaw peoples. The group migrated from the Ohio River valley south to the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers around the 16th century. During this time, artists stopped using exotic North American materials sourced through long distance trade, such as copper and shell, and instead expanded upon earlier ceramic traditions. Quapaw artists seem to draw inspiration from the globular body and tapering necks of gourds while consistently using color combinations of red, white, black, and buff. It is likely this “teapot” form was based on vessels introduced following the arrival of Europeans in the mid-16th century. The Quapaw nation continued to inhabit what is now Arkansas through the early 19th century. Following policies set by the United States government and the signing of three treaties, the government forcibly removed Quapaw peoples to present-day Oklahoma, where the Quapaw nation is located today.

OUR RESOURCES

ASECS is a member of a number of associations devoted to supporting and advocating for the humanities. The Society is pleased to offer members a number of resources on research and teaching, events, grants and fellowships, and member support. Stay apprised of humanities and nonprofit policy updates, ways to advocate, and deadlines for funding.

VIEW ALL RESOURCES

Quapaw Culture (Arkansas/Midsouth), Spouted Vessel with Painted Motifs,
ca.1500–1700 (maybe 1600). Saint Louis Art Museum