2020 will see the publication of the first two volumes of The Cambridge Edition of the Works of Aphra
Behn. Editing Aphra Behn’s remarkable oeuvre has involved an international and interdisciplinary
team of scholars, drawing on expertise from across the humanities. ‘How to do things with early
modern words’, a three-day conference to mark the 350th anniversary of the start of Behn’s public
career, aims to celebrate and develop interdisciplinary approaches to early modern studies. Bringing
together researchers working in all fields represented within the edition, including literature, history,
theatre history, language, and digital humanities, between 1500 and 1750, the conference will
explore cutting-edge themes, perspectives and approaches in scholarship on the early modern
world.
Keynote speakers:
Professor Terttu Nevalainen
University of Helsinki
Professor Martin Dzelzainis
University of Leicester
Dr Ruth Ahnert
Queen Mary University of London
Professor Tim Harris
Brown University
We invite papers which explore and/or critique interdisciplinary approaches to early modern
scholarship, alongside discussions of digital technology, conceptual advances, or new archival
discoveries within or across disciplines. Please submit abstracts (300 words) for 20-minute papers,
complete panels (comprising 3 or 4 papers), workshops, or 10-minute Pecha Kucha presentations
to EMWords2020@gmail.com by Monday, 23 September 2019.