Seminar series have been a popular facet of the early American history culture across the country, from Philadelphia and New York across to the Rocky Mountains and the Bay Area. In this post, we’re introducing another regional seminar to the mix, based around Missouri and the greater St Louis area (extending into central Illinois, and interest from eastern Kansas, southern Iowa, or northern Arkansas is most welcome). We’re hoping to foster a sense of community among those working on early American topics in the region, and to provide a supportive environment for graduate students and faculty to test out preliminary findings of their research.
What follows is our call for papers. Submissions from presenters outside the Missouri area are very welcome. The aim is to hold 4 events in the 2014-15 academic year. We’re also in the process of compiling an e-mail list, so if you’re interested please contact me via email by clicking on my name at the bottom of the announcement. We look forward to hearing from you!
Missouri Regional Seminar on Early American History: Call For Papers
The Missouri Regional Seminar on Early American History is a new initiative sponsored by the Forum on Constitutional Democracy at the University of Missouri. The seminar series will allow scholars working on any topic related to American history before 1900 to exchange ideas with colleagues from around the region in a serious but convivial setting. Scholars interested in the political development of the United States and American political thought are particularly encouraged to participate, but all are welcome. Meetings will take place twice a semester, rotating between St. Louis, and Columbia, MO, and follow a workshop format, with presenters pre-circulating papers in advance of the meeting. After brief remarks and a lively discussion, a meal will provided for all participants.
The seminar is open to all interested faculty and graduate students. We expect participants in the seminar to include faculty and graduate students from history and political science departments in Missouri, the St Louis metro area, and central Illinois. (Scholars from adjacent regions – eastern Kansas, southern Iowa, are welcome as well.) For planning purposes, we will be asking participants to reserve a spot in each seminar, and limited financial aid will available for those who have to travel to attend.
We are currently inviting submissions for presenters to the Seminar for the 2014/15 academic year. We welcome papers on all aspects of early American history, broadly defined to extend throughout the Americas geographically and forward in time through the 19th century. We are particularly eager for submissions relating to political development, political thought, constitutionalism, and democratization. Travel funds, including overnight accommodations, will be available for those invited to present. To apply, please send a 500-word abstract of your proposed paper, and a brief CV, to fcd@missouri.edu, using “Regional Seminar” somewhere in your subject line.
Jeff Pasley, University of Missouri
Ken Owen, University of Illinois-Springfield
Co-Convenors
The Junto 
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