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CFP: Georg Forster Colloquium 2024: Georg Forster as an author of letters (University of Kassel, November 2, 2024), 31.07.24
The epistolary author Georg Forster was admired by many of his contemporaries and counted among the classics of epistolary literature. Early editions of his letters were published by Therese Forster-Huber and the literary historians Gervinus, Hettner and Leitzmann. A literary scholarship oriented towards rhetoric also articulated a conspicuous interest in Forster's epistolary art, before after 1848 the nationalization of scholarship in the history of ideas and an orientation of German studies as national philology caused him to recede into the background in this respect too - apart from exceptions such as Gustav Landauer and Walter Benjamin - until well into the 20th century.
In our colloquium, we would like to discuss Forster's epistolary practice from the perspective of literary, cultural and media studies, and work out the historical and authorial peculiarities and the specific addressees of his letters. These also deserve particular attention as pretexts for more extensive writings, especially the Views from the Lower Rhine and the epistolary essays.
The contributions will be published in Georg-Forster-Studien.
Please send your suggestions for topics by 31.7. 2024 with a short synopsis and biographical details to Prof. Dr. Stefan Greif(greif[at]uni-kassel[dot]de).
Prof. Dr. Stefan Greif, First Chairman (greif@uni-kassel.de)
Dr. Michael Ewert, Second Chairman (ewertmuen@web.de)
Jan Sinning, management and organization of the colloquium (sinning@uni-kassel.de)
Past Colloquia
Georg Forster Colloquium 2022: Racism and anti-racism in the 18th century
Georg Forster Colloquium 2019: Epistolary culture of the late Enlightenment
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2019: "Briefkultur der Spätaufklärung", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2017: "Georg Forster's views of the Lower Rhine", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2015: "Georg Forster in postcolonial perspective", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2014: "Literarische Weltreisen", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2012: "Fremdheit und Interkulturalität - Georg Forster als interkultureller Autor", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2011: "Georg Forster and the Berlin Enlightenment", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2010: "Georg Forster and Language", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2009: "Georg Forster and the Arts", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2008: "World traveler or revolutionary? Continuities and discontinuities in the life and work of Georg Forster", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2007: "Frauen im Umfeld Georg Forsters - geschlechtergeschichtliche Forschungsansätze", University of Kassel.
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2006: "Georg Forster in Mainz. Literary production and media center before and during the revolution", University of Kassel. The contributions are published in Georg-Forster-Studien XIII (2008).
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2005: "Georg Forster in the intellectual networks of his time, University of Kassel. The contributions are published in Georg-Forster-Studien XII (2007).
- Anniversary conference 2004: "Georg Forster (1754-1794): Departure into new worlds", Kassel/Göttingen. The contributions are published in Georg-Forster-Studien XI (2 volumes).
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2003: "Europeans in the South Seas in the 18th century: Die 'Entdecker' aus der Perspektive der 'Entdeckten'", University of Kassel. The contributions have been published in Georg-Forster-Studien X (2005).
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2002: "Georg Forster as a cultural mediator", University of Kassel. The contributions are published in Georg-Forster-Studien IX (2004).
- Georg Forster Colloquium 2001: "Herrschaft und Gewalt bei Georg Forster", University of Kassel. The contributions are published in Georg-Forster-Studien VIII (2003).