A growing number of scholars are making their own relatives (or other kin) their objects of study. These personal family histories mark a significant shift in scholarly practice and writing, with far-reaching methodological, political, and ethical implications. Scholars and Their Kin is one of the first symposia to bring together scholars who are presently writing in this vein or have recently done so.
This conversation between U.S.-based and European historians, anthropologists, sociologists, and literary/cultural critics will address far-reaching questions. They include the family as an object of study, modes and forms of scholarly writing, the recovery of lost or forgotten histories (with attention to race, religion, and gender), the study of emotions and intimacy, questions of scale, familial memory and transmission, as well as history and genealogy. Participants will also discuss the institutional frameworks in which, depending on their background, field, and stage in career, scholars are encouraged (or not) to write such histories.
Due to limited space, registration is required: RSVP here.
Symposium organized by Stéphane Gerson, Professor of French, French Studies, and History, and sponsored by NYU’s Institute of French Studies. Co-sponsored by NYU’s Office of the Provost, Department of French Literature, Thought, and Culture, Department of History, La Maison Française, Department of Comparative Literature, Department of Anthropology, Department of Social and Cultural Analysis, and Center for European and Mediterranean Studies. |