History of Emotion

The Conference on the History of Emotion (June 1-2, 2018, at George Mason University) may be the first-ever on this subject in North America, in contrast to the many gatherings that have occurred in Britain, Germany, Australia and elsewhere. The conference has generated considerable interest from a variety of presenters, covering various regions, time periods and topics, with ample extension into interdisciplinary conversations with literature, philosophy, architecture, international relations and beyond. Panels will encourage discussion from the audience, and there will be opportunities for more informal exchanges as well. Conference organizers (Susan Matt, of Weber State University, and Peter Stearns, of George Mason) hope that the conference will also encourage some discussion of some kind of organization for emotions historians in North America, in association with colleagues in other regions and with the Society for the History of Emotion based in Australia.