Periodisation, Generations, and the Gaps Between

This symposium examines how periodisation, ageing and generational thinking shape our understanding of literary history. It will address how categorising individuals by period or movement shapes perceptions of their relevance, timeliness, and value, and how biases like ageism play a role. We consider how different genres, forms, and archives reveal the complexities of literary generations and explore the impact of periodisation on research and teaching practices.

Confirmed speakers: 

• David Amigoni (Keele) – 'What to do with a young late stylist? Structures of generational feeling and age autobiography in Paul Bailey's At the Jerusalem (1967)'
• Fatima Borrman (KU Leuven) – 'Imagining Grandmama: Skipping a Generation in Women’s Fiction'
• Helen Kingstone (Royal Holloway) – 'Ageing and generations, between sociology and Victorian literature'
• Helen Small (Oxford) – 'The Concept of the New across Generations’

Organised by: Jade French and Sarah Parker

Arrivals from 12:45 am for a 1:00 pm start. 

This event is hybrid format, please use the required booking button at the bottom of the page to choose either in-person or online attendance.
(Please note that in-person spaces are limited and booking is required, so we can manage numbers for catering and also the space in the seminar room)

By booking a place at this event, attendees agree to behave in a respectful manner such that everyone feels comfortable contributing as they wish. The IAS reserves the right to eject anyone who does not abide by this policy.