Coordinator(s) 

Prof. dr. Feike Dietz 
Dr. Kristine Johanson
Dr. Simon Leese

Research description

This research group is a community for scholars interested in historical literatures and textual cultures in different periods (from antiquity to c. 1900) and in a wide range of languages or multilingual areas. These scholars work on many issues, including those that are high on the agenda of humanities research, such as inclusion, migration, globalization and decolonization. They specifically assess the complex ways in which texts (in their various material and performative forms) have been driving forces behind socio-cultural developments throughout the ages, and how historical texts help to understand or challenge mechanisms of power and inequality that are (still) visible in today’s world.

Within UvA’s Faculty of Humanities, historical-oriented literary and textual scholars are embedded in different departments and research schools and teach in a wide range of bachelor’s and master’s programmes (from European Studies to Classical Languages, from Book History to Theatre Studies). Their mobility and multidisciplinarity is a strength, but this also has its downside in terms of visibility and a sense of community.

The aim of the Historical Literatures and Texts group is therefore:

• to improve the visibility of historical literary expertise available within the faculty (also for students and early stage/early career researchers with an interest in literary and textual cultures of the past)
• to stimulate interaction and discussion between scholars working in the field of historical literatures and texts, with regard to both teaching and research. By sharing good practices, ongoing projects or topical research ideas, we function as a platform and thinktank for everyone who teaches, reads and analyses historical literatures. We facilitate collaboration and peer feedback between literary scholars with regard to teaching and research.
• to enrich our understanding of historical literatures and texts by comparing the role of literature in different periods, languages, genres and forms.
• to get a clearer understanding of the distinct expertise of historical literature scholars and their added value to research conducted in other fields, such as History, Media Studies, Book History, Art History, etc.        

Activities

The Historical Literatures and Texts group organizes several informal lunch meetings a year. These lunches are part of our community building practice: during the Historical Literatures Lunches, we discuss research projects and proposals, teaching practices, and methodological issues relevant for our field. We expect to organize (public) workshops and co-teaching, and to provide an intellectual home to (PhD) students with an interest in historical literatures. Members of the group will apply for research grants related to the group’s shared ambitions.  

Societal Impact

We have three primary purposes in terms of societal impact:

1: The exchange of ideas among scholars working on historical literatures will contribute to our understanding of the vital role of historical texts for socio-cultural developments and power structures that still impact today’s societies (e.g. colonialism, gender inequality, migration);

2: By sharing teaching experiences and practices, we improve both our teaching – e.g. by discussing how to bring research into teaching - and our reflections on the teaching challenges we share. We consider: how to teach historical literatures to 21st-century students, how to make old texts relevant for today’s societies, how to handle the sometimes sensitive content of historical literatures?

3: We help shape and prepare the next generation of historical literary and textual scholars and teachers.

Members

Dr. Marrigje Paijmans (associate)
Dr. Marjolein Hogenbirk (associate)
Dr. Frans Blom
Dr. Trude Dijkstra (associate)
Dr. Yolanda Rodriguez (associate)
Anna-Rose Shack
Prof. dr. Lisa Kuitert
Dr. Rosalind Powell
L.A.S. (Lola) Bos
Dr. Sara Budasz (associate)
Drs. André Looijenga
Dr. Tim Vergeer
João Veloso Paixão
Dr. Beatrix van Dam
Dr. Jelle Koopmans
Dr. Jan Rock (associate)
Dr. Katell Lavéant (affiliated)

*associate members are FGw scholars who are embedded in another research school