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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 period from the later seventeenth through the early nineteenth century.

Repose in a Park. Jean-Baptiste Joseph Pater, c. 1730. Oil on canvas, 21 1/2 x 25 7/8 in. Saint Louis Art Museum

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Painting of an Indian Woman. Anna Maria von Phul, 1818. Native American. Missouri Historical Society
Painting of an Indian Woman. Anna Maria von Phul, 1818. Native American. Missouri Historical Society
Preconference Draft (PDF) of Schedule ASECS 2024

You can find the preconference PDF of the schedule on the Annual Meeting page. AV info and accessibility copies can also be found on that page. *Very* minor changes (like room reassignments) mig…

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Web app + cell app are live!

Minor updates may still occur in the run-up to the program. Cell appWeb appPasscode: Toronto!

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M. NourbeSe Philip

Born in Tobago, M. NOURBESE PHILIP is an unembedded poet, essayist, novelist, playwright and public intellectual who lives in the spacetime of Toronto. Her published works include the seminal Sh…

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Elections Results

Congratulations to the following new Executive Board Members. The new term begins July 1, 2024. Details on continuing Board members can be found on the Elections Results page.

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MEMBERSHIP

All members of ASECS receive a one-year subscription to the society’s quarterly journal; may purchase the annual journal at a discount; and are eligible to propose panels and appear on the program of the Annual meeting.

All members based in North America and neighboring areas also receive access to Gale-Cengage’s Eighteenth Century Collections Online (ECCO) 1 & 2.

ASECS publishes two scholarly journals. Eighteenth-Century Studies (ECS) is published quarterly. Studies in Eighteenth-Century Culture (SECC) is published annually. We also publish a News Circular, which appears three times each year.

COMMUNITIES

ASECS promotes the study and teaching of the long eighteenth century through diverse networks at membership, society, and international levels. Learn more about engaging with other members and partners to identify and support our mission and the field with caucuses, affiliates, and coalition partners.

ANNUAL MEETING

Our 54th Annual Meeting will be held April 4 – 6, 2024 at Sheraton Centre Toronto in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

We are committed to fostering an inclusive and welcoming conference environment in which all members participate fully in the exchange of knowledge and ideas. We welcome scholars pursuing all aspects of eighteenth-century studies and in all careers and career stages. Call for Proposals is now open!

Please join us whether you are a long-time member, or new to ASECS!

A view of the Toronto city skyline from the perspective of the Toronto Islands (drone image).
A view of the Toronto city skyline from the perspective of the Toronto Islands (drone image).
© Destination Toronto
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.

ASECS is pleased to offer members a number of resources on research and teaching, events, grants and fellowships, and member support.

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

VOLUNTEER

ASECS encourages members to volunteer to serve on committees, to participate in one of its many caucuses and affiliate societies, and to volunteer to run for elected office and board positions.

UPCOMING EVENTS

October 12-14, 2023
HECAA@30:
Environments, Materials, and Futures in the Eighteenth Century

February 29 – March 2, 2024
The 50th Annual Meeting of SEASECS
Furman University
Greenville, SC

March 20-24, 2024
The Society for American Music 50th Annual Conference
Detroit, MI

April 4-7 , 2024
ASECS Conference Toronto
Sheraton Centre Toronto
Annual Conference in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

April 10-13, 2024
NCPH, Call for Proposals: “Historical Urgency”
Salt Lake City, UT