Blog Posts

The annual NACBS election will begin on Tuesday, September 27, 2011. Current members will receive an electronic ballot again this year that will enable them to cast their votes via a secure, anonymous web site. No print ballots will be mailed. If you are a current member and have not received an electronic ballot by September 29, please contact Michael Cunningham at the University of Chicago Press (mec@press.uchicago.edu) if you would like to participate in the election.

Voting will remain open until Tuesday, October 25, 2011.

Dear H-Albion members,

I'm writing to you to let you know about an exciting new addition to this
year's North American Conference on British Studies.  As some of you
already know, Tim Hitchcock and I are working together on a digital space
that we are calling The History Working Papers Project (HWPP,
<https://libtool.ulib.iupui.edu/wordpress/>).  The HWPP is an online
space for scholars to share works-in-progress with their peers.  After uploading a conference paper, essay, or article manuscript to the HWPP website, authors can invite others to read their work and make comments in the
margins.  As more people respond, writers get more feedback.  But, unlike
traditional comments done on paper, HWPP allows commenters and authors to
interact with each other.  They can read each other's marginalia and
engage in dialogue about it.  In fact, entire threaded discussions can
take place in the margins.

NACBS has allowed us to offer HWPP to conference panels and participants
this year.  I am writing to encourage you to take advantage of the system.
Not only will it be able to help you generate some pre-conference buzz
for your panels, but it is a tool to help you create more informative and
useful panels.  Here is a short summary of what you can expect from HWPP:

HWPP will allow you and the people on your NACBS panel to post your
conference papers online (either individually or as a whole panel) several
weeks before the conference begins.  By posting papers ahead of time, HWPP
gives conference chairs, panelists, and participants the ability to
experiment with alternative approaches to your panels.  While panels and
individuals can simply use HWPP to pre-circulate papers and hold a
traditional conference panel, you have the opportunity to be creative and
do much more.  By integrating an online conversation both before and after
the conference, you will find that your panels are much more dynamic.

Here are some ideas on how you can take advantage of HWPP:

1. The most effective way to use HWPP is as a whole panel.  Chairs should
round up participants' papers several weeks before the conference begins
and send them to Jason M. Kelly at <jaskelly@iupui.edu>.  Within days,
they will be posted to HWPP under the heading for your panel.

2. Chairs should encourage the commentator and one or two other peers to
read the papers and put their comments in the margins.  They might also
consider sending out an announcement about the pre-circulated drafts to
H-Albion or NACBS's Facebook page in order get others to read and comment
as well.

3. Having a panel pre-meeting is a great way to meet each other and
discuss some of your papers' ideas.  Chairs, commentators, and panelists
can meet using Skype, Google+, Adobe Connect or any number of other video
conferencing tools.

4. Chairs might consider an alternative format for their NACBS panel.
There are a number of format options, from PechaKucha to five-minute
papers to short poster sessions.  We encourage you to keep talks to a
shorter length in order to allow more time for group discussion.  Doing
this is very effective, and you may be surprised at the improved dynamic
and the rich outcomes that emerge.  At a recent NACBS panel, for example,
the chairs adopted a modified PechaKucha model.  Even though there were
ten speakers, there was still enough time for an exciting one-hour
discussion.

5. Remember, that when the conference is over, HWPP will still be
available.  We encourage you to continue using it as you revise your
papers for submission to journals.

The History Working Papers Project is quite an exciting system, and Tim
Hitchcock and I are very happy that NACBS is letting us run a trial this
year.  Please visit the site and have a look around
(<https://libtool.ulib.iupui.edu/wordpress/>).
Watch the videos, read the papers, and make comments.  Tim and I have
posted sample papers online so that you can see what papers and comments
look like.  Be sure to send us any questions you have about the site.

I do hope that you consider using the system for your panel this year.  I
think it will be a great addition to the NACBS and the way scholars in the
humanities approach conference panels and scholarship more generally.

Best wishes,
Jason

--
Jason M. Kelly, Ph.D.
Associate Professor of British History, IUPUI

School of Liberal Arts
Indiana University
Department of History, IUPUI
Cavanaugh Hall 503N
425 University Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46202-5140

telephone: 317.274.1689
fax: 317.278.7800
email: jaskelly@iupui.edu

Twitter: @jason_m_kelly
LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/jason-kelly/18/531/6a9
Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonmkelly/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/109922202142849269369/about?hl=en
Tumblr: http://jasonmkelly.tumblr.com/

Those planning to attend our annual meeting to be held in Denver from
November 18 to November 20 are invited to visit the NACBS Conference Page
(<http://www.nacbs.org/conference.html>).  There you will find a copy of the
conference program as well as portals for conference registration and hotel
reservations.  You will also find information helpful for traveling to our
host city and enjoying its attractions.  We hope to see you in Denver this
November.

With best wishes,

Lara Kriegel
(nacbsprogram@gmail.com)
Chair, NACBS Program Committee

Marjorie Levine-Clark
(marjorie.levine-clark@ucdenver.edu)
Chair, Local Arrangements Committee

NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON BRITISH STUDIES
2012 NACBS-HUNTINGTON LIBRARY FELLOWSHIP COMPETITION

The NACBS, in collaboration with the Huntington Library, offers annually the NACBS-HUNTINGTON LIBRARY FELLOWSHIP to aid in dissertation research in British Studies using the collections of the library.  The amount of the fellowship is $2500.  A requirement for holding the fellowship is that the time of tenure be spent in residence at the Huntington Library.  The time of residence varies, but may be as brief as one month. Applicants must be U. S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents and enrolled in a Ph.D. program in a U. S. or Canadian institution.

Nominations and applications for the 2011 award are invited. Please note that the applications are due on November 30, 2011.  Applications should consist of a curriculum vitae, two supporting letters (one from the applicant's dissertation advisor), and a description of the dissertation research project. The letter should include a description of the materials to be consulted at the Huntington and the reason that these are essential sources for the dissertation.

Applicants are also eligible to apply simultaneously for a number of months under the Huntington’s own fellowship program, so that residence at the library can be extended to support a more sustained period of research. The Huntington’s own fellowships pay $2500 per month and the deadline for applications is 15 December 2011.

A copy of the application package should be sent to each member of the Huntington Library Fellowship Committee listed below. Letters should be placed in sealed envelopes, signed across the flap and given to the applicant for inclusion in the application package. Applications must be postmarked by November 30, 2011. Awards will be announced by January 30, 2012.

Send materials to:

Professor Melissa Harkrider
Department of History
Wheaton College
501 College Avenue
Wheaton, IL 60187
Melissa.L.Harkrider@wheaton.edu

Professor Carole Levin
Department of History
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
612 Oldfather Hall
Lincoln, NE 68588
clevin2@unlnotes.unl.edu

Professor Stephen M. Miller,
Department of History
265D Stevens Hall
University of Maine
Orono, ME 04469
Stephen_Miller@umit.maine.edu

Registration is now open for the 2011 annual meeting of the North American Conference on British Studies, hosted by the Western Conference on British Studies.  The conference will take place November 18-20, 2011, at the Sheraton Downtown Denver, right in the heart of the city.

Please go to <http://www.nacbs.org/conference.html>  for conference and hotel registration, and for information about travel to Denver.

The 2011 Annual Meeting of the NACBS will convene in Denver, Colorado, from November 18 to 20.  Paper and panel proposals are due on March 15.  You can find the link to the submissions system on the Conference Website at www.nacbs.org/conference.html http://www.nacbs.org/conference.html. Alternatively, you can go directly to http://nacbsproposal.fiu.edu

Thanks very much to those who have already submitted proposals for the 2011 NACBS Conference.  We look forward to considering all of the submissions.

Do not hesitate to contact me at nacbsprogram@gmail.com if questions arise in the process of submission.   Shortly after March 15, I will send an email confirming receipt of submissions to those who are listed as panel contacts and to those who have submitted individual papers.

With best wishes,
Lara Kriegel, Program Chair, on behalf of the NACBS Program Committee

Thanks to all those who have shown interest in the NACBS 2011 Annual Meeting, to be held in Denver, Colorado, from November 18 to 20.  The Call
for Papers is available at http://www.nacbs.org/conference.htm.

The link to the electronic submissions site will soon be posted to the NACBS Website.  However, those who wish to access further instructions can consult the site beginning now.  For detailed submissions instructions and for access to the submissions system, please go to http://nacbsproposal.fiu.edu.

We look forward to considering your submissions for single papers, three-person panels, and four-person roundtables or panels.  If you have questions or if you wish to make a submission that deviates from these formats, please contact the Program Chair, Lara Kriegel, at nacbsprogram@gmail.com.

The deadline for submissions is Tuesday, March 15, 2011.

I am writing to remind members of the North American Conference on British Studies that the organization will host a reception at this weekend's Annual Meeting of the AHA in Boston.

The reception will occur from 5:30-7:00 p.m. on Saturday, January 8th in the Provincetown Room at the Marriott Boston Copley Place.

If you are attending the AHA, please do make an effort to come by the NACBS reception. I look forward to seeing many of you there.

Best wishes,
Paul Deslandes
Associate Executive Secretary, NACBS

--
Paul Deslandes
Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies
Department of History
University of Vermont
Wheeler House
133 South Prospect St.
Burlington, VT 05405

e-mail: paul.deslandes@uvm.edu
Phone: (802)656-3535
Fax: (802)656-8794

Dear Colleagues,

If you are planning on attending this year's NACBS conference to be held in
Baltimore November 12-14, 2010, just a reminder of two important upcoming
dates:

The deadline for early registration is: October 1, 2010. After this date
registration rates increase from $165 to $195 for NACBS members.

The deadline for booking accommodation at the conference rate is: October,
13, 2010.

For registration and hotel information, please go to the NACBS website:
http://www.nacbs.org/conference.html

See you in Baltimore!

Amy Froide & Lynn Botelho
Local Arrangements, Co-Chairs, NACBS 2010

The NACBS, in collaboration with the Huntington Library, offers annually the NACBS-HUNTINGTON LIBRARY FELLOWSHIP to aid in dissertation research in British Studies using the collections of the library. The amount of the fellowship is $2000. A requirement for holding the fellowship is that the time of tenure be spent in residence at the Huntington Library. The time of residence varies, but may be as brief as one month. Applicants must be U. S. or Canadian citizens or permanent residents and enrolled in a Ph.D. program in a U. S. or Canadian institution.

Nominations and applications for the 2011 award are invited. Please note that the applications are due on November 30, 2010. Applications should consist of a curriculum vitae, two supporting letters (one from the applicant's dissertation advisor), and a description of the dissertation research project. The letter should include a description of the materials to be consulted at the Huntington and the reason that these are essential sources for the dissertation.

A copy of the application package should be sent to each member of the Huntington Library Fellowship Committee listed below. Letters should be placed in sealed envelopes, signed across the flap and given to the applicant for inclusion in the application package. Applications must be postmarked by November 30, 2010. Awards will be announced by January 30, 2011. Send materials to: Professor Johann Sommerville, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Department of History, 3211 Mosse Humanities Bldg, 455 N. Park St., Madison, WI 53706 (email: jsommerv@wisc.edu), Professor Melissa Harkrider, Department of History, Wheaton College, 501 College Avenue, Wheaton, IL 60187 (email: Melissa.L.Harkrider@wheaton.edu), and Professor Carole Levin, Department of History, University of Nebraska, Lincoln,612 Oldfather Hall, NE 68588 (email: clevin2@unl.edu).

The NACBS 2010 Program is available to view or download as .pdf here.

Dear Colleagues,

The 2010 Meeting of the North American Conference on British Studies is now open for registration at <http://www.nacbs.org/conference.html>.  We hope that you will join us in Baltimore, Maryland, from 12-14 November at the historic Tremont Suites Hotel.  Our program there will feature an extended format, with forty-nine regular sessions as opposed to the forty-two of recent years.  Special sessions will address new directions in early modern history, current developments in twentieth-century history, and pressing questions for the digital humanities.  Plenary speakers will include Richard Price and Amanda Vickery.  We look forward to seeing you in November.

Sincerely yours,
Lara Kriegel
NACBS Program Chair, on behalf of the NACBS Program Committee

The North American Conference on British Studies Essay Contest Committee
invites you to nominate one of your students for the Annual Essay Prize.
  This is intended for undergraduates enrolled at United States universities
and colleges (there is a complementary contest for students enrolled in
Canadian colleges and universities) and the Committee awards up to six
prizes of $100 each. Please nominate your student according to the following guidelines:

1) The essay must have been written while the author was
enrolled as a degree-seeking undergraduate. Essays written for
courses and theses are acceptable.

2) Each essay must be nominated by a member of the NACBS and no
individual member can nominate more than one essay per year.

3) Essays in any field of British Studies are invited,
including, but not limited to, Literature, Art, Art History,
History and Cultural Studies.

4) Essays should be between 10 and 25 pages of text, excluding notes.

5) Please submit a letter of nomination, including the full
name, permanent address and email contact information for the
student, along with one electronic or hard copy of the essay no
later than June 1, 2010, to: Prof. Peter Hoffenberg, Department
of History, 2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki Hall, University of
Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI  96822-2283. Email: peterh@hawaii.edu

Please feel free to contact Peter if you have any questions and
thanks for considering your students and for forwarding this
information if appropriate.

Peter H. Hoffenberg
Associate Professor of History
University of Hawaii, Manoa
 2530
Dole Street
Sakamaki Hall A203
Honolulu, HI 96822-2283
USA

Phone:  808  956-8497
Fax:  808  956-9600 to the attention of Hoffenberg

HOTEL INFORMATION

The annual meeting of the NACBS will be held at Baltimore’s Tremonts: Historic Venue and All Suite Hotel http://www.tremontsuitehotels.com/

The conference will be held in the Tremont Grand, a historic structure originally built in 1866 as the Grand Lodge of the Maryland Masonic Lodge.

The hotel rooms are located in the Tremont Plaza. This is a separate building, connected to the Tremont Grand by a corridor. When arriving by car or taxi, use the Tremont Plaza entrance on St. Paul St. to check in.

TREMONT PLAZA HOTEL
222 St. Paul Place
Baltimore, MD 21202
P 410-727-2222   F 410-685-4215

Amenities
All hotel rooms are suites which feature a sitting area, a kitchenette, and free high-speed internet. Hotel amenities include a 24-hour fitness center, a deli/store, Tug’s Bar and Grille restaurant, and a café.
The Tremont Grand is located across the street from a grocery store and the Tremonts are located in the Mt. Vernon/Charles St. corridor, home to many of Baltimore’s best restaurants. The Baltimore Harbor is just a 10-minute walk away.

Conference Rate
A book of rooms has been reserved for the nights of Thurs-Sat. 11/11-11/13/2010. A few rooms are available on Wed. 11/10 as well.
Hotel rooms are available at the NACBS conference rate of $129 per night for single/double occupancy. The rate is $149 for triple and $169 for quad occupancy. Room rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes, currently 13.5%.
To negotiate this room rate, the NACBS needs to fill a specified amount of rooms, so we urge you to stay at the conference hotel.

Reservations
The conference rate is only guaranteed until OCTOBER 13, 2010.
To make a reservation go to: www.tremonts.com. Click on the “Reservations” button on the left-hand menu. In the box, click on “Group Reservations”. In the new box enter the password: NACBSNOV10, and make your reservation. All reservations must be guaranteed by a major credit card, or first night’s room and tax deposit. You have up to 24 hours prior to the arrival date to cancel your room reservation.

TRAVEL INFORMATION

By Air
Baltimore is served by three major airports: Baltimore/Washington International/Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) in Maryland, and Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) in Northern Virginia.

Just 15 minutes from downtown Baltimore, BWI is the closest airport [http://www.bwiairport.com]. It is served by 55 carriers, including Southwest, AirTran, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, US Airways, and United.
Daily nonstop international service to BWI from destinations including London, U.K. (from Heathrow via British Airways), and Toronto, Canada is available.

Airport Transfers from BWI
[http://www.bwiairport.com/en/travel/ground-transportation]

Supershuttle is providing NACBS attendees with a special rate. The cost is $13 one-way from BWI airport to the Tremont hotel, and $24 round trip. Discounts are available from other airports as well. To reserve a shuttle with the conference discount call 1800-BLUE-VAN (1800-258-3826) and mention code QS3DW or click on:
https://www.supershuttle.com/GroupRez/TripDetails.aspx?GC=QS3DW

Other transport options

• Individual taxi $30-35
• Public transport (Light Rail) $1.60

Take light rail from BWI airport to downtown Baltimore/Camden Yards stop. Runs 6am-11pm M-Sa, Sun 11am-7pm
This will require a transfer to a short taxi ride or a 10-minute walk to the hotel.

By Rail
Baltimore is easily accessible by train. Two stations serve the Baltimore area: the BWI Airport Station and Penn Station. Amtrak serves both these stations with trains running 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Penn Station Baltimore is the closest station to the hotel. A 5-10 minute taxi ride from Penn Station to the hotel should cost approx. $12. For tickets and station information, go to: [http://www.amtrak.com] Type in Baltimore-Penn Station, MD (BAL).

By Car
Directions To The Tremont Plaza Hotel

From BWI Airport: Exit onto I-95 and continue to Exit 4 Baltimore. Follow the I-395 Exit heading downtown, and stay in the lane for the Inner Harbor. Bear right and turn onto Conway Street. At the second traffic light, turn left onto Charles Street. At the 7th traffic light, turn right onto Saratoga Street, and travel one block to St. Paul Place. Turn right. The Tremont Plaza is on the corner of Saratoga and St. Paul Place.

From the North or South on I-95: From Washington D.C. (south) or the Fort McHenry Tunnel (north), take the I-395 Exit, heading downtown, and follow directions above.

From the West on I-70: Take I-695 towards Glen Burnie. Follow I-95 north to Baltimore and follow the directions above from I-95.

BALTIMORE INFORMATION

Map
For maps go to: http://baltimore.org/maps

Attractions
For Baltimore tourist information go to: http://baltimore.org

• Cultural sites include the Walters Gallery, the Baltimore Museum of Art, and the Peabody Library.
• Historical sites include the Maryland Historical Society, the Reginald F. Lewis Museum of African American History, and Ft. McHenry [gearing up for the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812]
• Family-friendly sites include the Baltimore Aquarium, the Maryland Science Center, and the Port Discovery Children’s Museum.

Restaurants
A list of restaurants will be posted on the NACBS website in early Fall.

The North American Conference on British Studies Essay Contest Committee invites you to nominate one of your students for the Annual Essay Prize. This is intended for undergraduates enrolled at United States universities and colleges (there is a complementary contest for students enrolled in Canadian colleges and universities) and the Committee awards up to six prizes of $100 each. Please nominate your student according to the following guidelines:

1) The essay must have been written while the author was enrolled as a degree-seeking undergraduate. Essays written for courses and theses are acceptable.

2) Each essay must be nominated by a member of the NACBS and no individual member can nominate more than one essay per year.

3) Essays in any field of British Studies are invited, including, but not limited to, Literature, Art, Art History, History and Cultural Studies.

4) Essays should be between 10 and 25 pages of text, excluding notes.

5) Please submit a letter of nomination, including the full name, permanent address and email contact information for the student, along with one electronic or hard copy of the essay no later than June 1, 2010, to: Prof. Peter Hoffenberg, Department of History, 2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki Hall, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2283. Email: peterh@hawaii.edu

Please feel free to contact Peter if you have any questions and thanks for considering your students and for forwarding this information if appropriate.
Peter H. Hoffenberg
Associate Professor of History
University of Hawaii, Manoa
2530 Dole Street
Sakamaki Hall A203
Honolulu, HI 96822-2283
USA

Phone: 808 956-8497
Fax: 808 956-9600 to the attention of Hoffenberg

The North American Conference on British Studies essay contest in British Studies for undergraduates enrolled at United States universities and colleges awards six prizes of $100 each, according to the following guidelines:

1.    The essay must have been written while the author was a degree-seeking undergraduate at a U.S. college or university. Essays written for courses, or as theses are acceptable.

2.    Each essay must be nominated by a member of the NACBS. No individual may nominate more than one essay in any one year.

3.    Essays in any field of British Studies are welcome.

4.    Essays should be between 10 and 25 pages, excluding citations and references.

5.    Please submit a letter of nomination (including the permanent mailing address and email contact information for the student) along with an electronic or three hard copies of the essay by June 1, 2010 to Professor Peter Hoffenberg, Department of History, University of Hawaii, 2530 Dole Street, Sakamaki Hall A203, Honolulu, HI 96822-2283. Email: peterh@hawaii.edu.

6.    For further information please feel free to contact Prof. Hoffenberg at the above address.

The 2010 NACBS Submissions Site is now operational and ready to accept proposals.  You can find the site by visiting www.nacbs.org/conference.html.  Alternatively, you can go directly to http://nacbsproposal.fiu.edu.  At this site, you will find detailed submissions instructions.  After reading the instructions, organizers will be able to submit singe papers, three-paper panels, and four-paper roundtables for consideration.  The Program Committee looks forward to considering all submissions.   If you have questions or if you wish to make a submission that deviates from these formats, please contact the Program Chair, Lara Kriegel, at nacbsprogram@gmail.com.

Please make submissions by the deadline of Monday, March 1, 2010.

The NACBS will host a reception at the AHA on Saturday, January 9 from 6:00-7:00 in the Hyatt Del Mar A.

CALL FOR PAPERS
NORTH AMERICAN CONFERENCE ON BRITISH STUDIES

ANNUAL MEETING
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND
NOVEMBER 12-14, 2010

The NACBS and its Mid-Atlantic affiliate, the MACBS, seek participation by scholars in all areas of British Studies for the 2010 meeting.  We solicit proposals for panels on Britain, the British Empire, and the British world.  Our interests range from the medieval to the modern.  Though primarily a conference of historians, we welcome participation by scholars across the humanities and social sciences, especially on interdisciplinary panels.

We invite panel proposals addressing selected themes, methodology, and pedagogy, as well as roundtable discussions of topical and thematic interest, including conversations among authors of recent books.  North American scholars, international scholars, and graduate students are all encouraged to submit proposals to the NACBS Program Committee.

Strong preference will be given to complete panel or roundtable proposals that consider a common theme.  Panels typically include three papers and a comment; roundtables customarily have four presentations.  Individual paper proposals will also be considered in rare cases.  Those with single paper submissions are strongly encouraged to search for additional panelists on lists such as H-Albion or at venues such as the NACBS Facebook page.  Applicants may also write to the Program Chair for suggestions (nacbsprogram@gmail.com).

Committed to ensuring the broadest possible participation of scholars in British Studies, the Program Committee will give priority to those who did not read papers at the 2009 meeting.   Panels that include both graduate students and established scholars are especially encouraged, as are submissions with broad chronological focus and interdisciplinary breadth.  In order to encourage intellectual interchange, we ask applicants to compose panels that feature participation from a range of institutions.  Single-institution panels are not encouraged; similarly, graduate supervisors are discouraged from appearing on panels with their own students and very recent graduates.   No participant will be permitted to take part in more than one session except in exceptional circumstances cleared by the Program Committee, and no more than one proposal will be considered from each applicant.

All submissions must be received by March 1, 2010.
For details, directions, and online submission, see www.nacbs.org/conference.html.

Please send questions about panel requirements
and suggestions about program development to
Lara Kriegel, NACBS Program Chair
Department of History, Florida International University, Miami, FL 33199
nacbsprogram@gmail.com