9 DECEMBER 2013 — The coming of the printed book in the mid-fifteenth century is seen as one of the crucial markers of modernity, transforming the communications landscape of Europe and beyond.
The book is fundamental to how we conceptualise the age: our progress-orientated view of the period depends crucially on our sense of the role played by print in encapsulating the spirit of the Renaissance and propelling forward the Reformations.
Like its modern-day equivalents, such as social media, print has assumed a principal place in historical discourse as a transformative technology.
In his open lecture at Peking University on Friday, 13 December, Dr Alexander S. Wilkinson, from University College Dublin, will offer an overview of the development and impact of print during the early-modern period.
He will attempt to assess the extent to which print was indeed an ‘agent of change’ offering also an introduction to and some of the principal findings of one of the largest collaborative research projects currently being undertaken in early-modern European studies: a global survey of printing before 1650.
13 December, Peking University, Leo KoGuan Building, Room 515, 15:10-18:00
The event is open to the public.
The activity is part of the course in European Studies for Peking University’s Master and PhD students given in collaboration between the European University Centre, the School of Government and the Centre for European Studies at Peking University, with lecturers coming from Peking University, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Autonomous University of Madrid, Lund University, University College Dublin and University College London.
The final open lecture of the course will be on Friday, 20 December, with Dr Jos Elkink from University College Dublin looking at the “Public opinion and Voting Behaviour in Europe”.
Dr. Alexander S. Wilkinson was educated at the University of St Andrews in Scotland. Following the completion of his PhD, he stayed in St Andrews in the post of Project Manager of the British Academy and AHRC-funded French Vernacular Book Project. In 2006, he moved to Ireland, where he took up a Lectureship in the History of the Media at the School of History and Archives in UCD. His research and teaching interests lie broadly in the social and cultural history of Europe between 1450 and 1700. Currently, the focus of his research, funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, is on the development of the book trade in Spain and Portugal before 1650. From 2011-2014, he will serve as Vice-Principal of the College of Arts and Celtic Studies, overseeing the Graduate School. He is also Director of the Centre for History of the Media.
Full bio at http://www.ucd.ie/historyarchives/staff/sandywilkinson/
European University Centre at Peking University (EUCPU)
Room 204, Wei-Li Building, Tan Siu Lin Centre for International Studies
Peking University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100871
Tel: +86(0)10 6275 5387
Email: euc2009@pku.edu.cn
Website: www.lu.se/pkueuc
