New Directions: Exploring Identity in the Early Modern Period

A Mini-Symposium for Faculty and Graduate Students in the mid-Atlantic Region

Thursday, October 14, from 1:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The Atrium of the Adele H. Stamp Student Union
University of Maryland, College Park

During this afternoon colloquium, we considered new directions undertaken by scholars of early modern literature and history in their research. These scholars examined the assumptions about identity-race, gender, nationality, political affiliation-that emerged in the early modern period for English settlers in Barbados and Jamaica, for a Spaniard writing about the native Americans of New Spain, and for women who enthusiastically supported the English republic responsible for overthrowing an enslaving monarchy and for embracing the English slave trade. The Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies made copies of papers available to participating institutions in advance of the symposium in order to facilitate conversations about these new endeavors.

Schedule:

1:00. Luncheon and Welcome.

2:00. Presentations. (For abstracts of these presentations, click on the title.)

"Becoming a White Man: Slavery and Identity in the Seventeenth Century English Caribbean."

Susan Dwyer Amussen. History, Graduate College, The Union Institute

"1542: Empire, Shipwreck, and the ‘Culture of the Baroque' in Alvar Nunez Cabeza de Vaca's Naufragios."

Ralph Bauer. Department of English, University of Maryland at College Park.

"Lucy Hutchinson: Republicanism, Gender and Politics."

David Norbrook. Department of English, University of Maryland at College Park.

4:00. Response and Discussion.