Victorian Gossip and Rumours
Wednesday 15 June 2016, Loughborough University
Keynote Speaker: Dr Nick Freeman (Loughborough)
The next Midlands Interdisciplinary Victorian Studies Seminar, hosted by the Modern & Contemporary Research Group at Loughborough University, will explore the theme of Victorian gossip and rumour. Researchers often encounter myths and rumours that persist in scholarship and biographical studies, despite the lack of clear factual evidence to support them. What might the persistence of such myths tell us about our own uses of the past and our appropriation of the Victorians? What part did gossip play in Victorian culture? How did the Victorians represent and negotiate scandal in a society where reputation was everything? Often these stories that emerge from our research do not fit into accepted scholarly narratives, but are nonetheless revealing in interesting ways. The Seminar seeks papers that address these themes from various disciplinary and multi-disciplinary perspectives. Topics could include, but are not limited to, the following:
Please send ideas for papers of 20 minutes’ length to a.m.beller@lboro.ac.uk and s.l.parker@lboro.ac.uk by June 3, 2016.
This is an informal event and full conference-type proposals are not required – and please do not exceed 250 words. You do not have to live or work in the Midlands, but preference may be given to those who do.
As usual, travel bursaries will be available to postgraduate students on a first come first served basis – there will be 5 bursaries of £20, though if there is not much uptake they may be able to provide more help with travel costs to individuals. Please contact Serena.Trowbridge@bcu.ac.uk if you are interested in applying for a travel bursary. MIVSS is supported by the British Association for Victorian Studies.