Evolutions and Revolutions in the Eighteenth Century (28 August 2013)

organized by:
Dutch-Belgian Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (DBSECS) (Werkgroep 18e eeuw)
Erasmus University Rotterdam (EUR)
International Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies (ISECS)

28 August 2013, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Campus Woudestein

Evolutions and revolutions are common to all times. For this conference, we are interested in three questions.
1. How were the concepts of evolution and revolution perceived during the eighteenth century itself?
2. How do the concepts of evolution and revolution relate to the changing conception of time in the eighteenth century?
3. Which evolutions and revolutions are of specific importance when focusing on the history of the eighteenth century?

While the eighteenth century was a revolutionary break with the past in many respects, contemporary political theory preferred gradual changes, consonant with natural circumstances, to radical breakthroughs. The question of whether to opt for gradual or radical changes in society was hotly debated in countless pamphlets and other publications. A developing belief in progress bolstered the idea that social change was achievable. In many aspects, changes occurred in an accelerated rate, which gave impetus to new models of thought. Scholars of the Enlightenment have only recently commented on several revolutionary changes in biology, chemistry, political economy, and music. The revolutionary discoveries in chemistry and biology, and the rising interest in anthropology and history also inspired the development of new scholarly disciplines and vocabularies.
This conference aims to bring together these questions of change in eighteenth century politics, economy, science, and culture.

For more information and a provisional programme, see: www.openingmarkets.eu