History of books subject of mini-conference Tuesday

Students in history professor Leslie Howsam’s graduate course “Studies in the History of the Book” will present their research in a series of free public lectures on Tuesday, November 29, with the support of the Humanities Research Group.

The mini-conference begins at 10 a.m. in Alumni Hall’s McPherson Lounge with Dr. Howsam’s introductory remarks on Mediation and Materiality: Aspects of the History of the Book.”

Nine master’s students will present their reserahc on topics ranging from Jon Geelen’s “How to Kill a Book: Studies of Book Burning, Libricide and Biblioclasm” to Graham Beatty’s “Publishing and Propaganda during the Second World War.”

Two papers focus on the history of the book in Africa:

  • “Publishing in East and West Africa in the 20th Century” by Obinna Muoh and
  • “Censorship, Literature and Reading in Apartheid South Africa” by Caius Baluta

Find a full program here. Lunch is free with registration before noon Monday; e-mail Jennifer Rocheleau in the Department of History.