1. CfP: Periodicals beyond Hierarchies: Challenging Geopolitical and Social „Centres“ and „Peripheries“ through the Press (ESPRit conference, Budapest, 8–9 September 2022)

For the first time in East-Central Europe, the European Society for Periodical Research (ESPRit) convenes its 2022 (10th) international conference in Budapest, Hungary, to focus on the following theme: Periodicals beyond Hierarchies: Challenging Geopolitical and Social „Centres“ and „Peripheries“ through the Press.

The conference should reflect on how periodicals challenge, transform or interpret the notion of „centres“ and „peripheries“ in a context of permanently shifting and historically unstable situations. Papers should investigate these questions through essential forums of the public sphere, namely periodicals, from the mid-18th century to the present day. The generation of knowledge, social dialogue, and transnational communication (both textual and visual) hosted by periodicals gave visibility and platforms to politically and economically „peripheral“ areas, as well as socially marginalized groups. At the same time, other journals provided means to maintain cultural and political hegemony of „central“ social classes or global powers. We invite scholars to reflect on the ways periodicals represented, created, maintained, or challenged, even deconstructed the notions of „centre“ and „periphery“ as related to the status of their community, audience, editorial board or geographical areas.

We are particularly interested in encounters, and negotiations between geopolitical or social „centres“ and „peripheries“ taking place in periodicals. The conference should focus on matters, including but not limited to, such as:

- Theoretical reflections on „centres“ and „peripheries“ and the possible contribution of Periodical Studies to define the shifting meaning of this conceptual model
- Circulation, adaptability and reworking of periodical models and genres, including the mainstream press; middlebrow periodicals and „little magazines“
- Hybridity, performativity, materiality – how researching periodicals opens up new perspectives in literary, art and media history?
- Shifting, emerging, and declining geopolitical centres and the press, from the Napoleonic wars to the end of the Cold War and beyond
- Challenging the concept of „Eastern“, „Western“, „Southern“ and „Central“ – the periodicals in the entangled history in Empires – from a post-Empire perspective
- Colonization, decolonization, and the periodicals – a postcolonial perspective
- The effect of dominant discourses on marginal/“peripheral“/“provincial“/local contexts – and vice versa.
- The role of journals in social conversation, including the voice of marginalized groups in/out of/against the mainstream press: the rise of counter-publics in periodicals
- The diachronic and political dimension of artistic canons, and the role of periodicals in canonizing, theorizing, and financing art and culture
- De-centring established cultural „centres“ through a transnational network of „little magazines“. Establishing „imagined communities“ (a term coined by Benedict Anderson) in periodicals

The working language of the conference is English. We welcome proposals from researchers at all stages of advancement. Proposals of around 250 words (references not included) for 20-minute papers and a short CV (no more than 200 words) should be sent to 2022esprit@gmail.com by February 28 2022. We also welcome proposals for joint panels of three papers. Please include a brief rationale for the panel along with an abstract and CV for each presenter. Updates can be found on the 10th ESPRit Conference website, forthcoming. We look forward to welcoming you to the Central European Research Institute for Art History, Budapest!

The fundamental information about the conference is the following:

- Conference theme: Periodicals beyond Hierarchies: Challenging Geopolitical and Social „Centres“ and „Peripheries“ through the Press
- Time and venue: 8– 9 September 2022, Museum of Fine Arts – Central European Research Institute for Art History (KEMKI) – Artpool, Budapest, Hungary. The hybrid event is co-organized with the Petőfi Literary Museum (PIM) – Kassák Museum.
- Scientific committee: Gábor Dobó (PIM–Kassák Musem); Dávid Fehér (KEMKI); Emese Kürti (KEMKI – Artpool); Eszter Őze (KEMKI – Artpool); Evanghelia Stead (UVSQ Paris-Saclay); Merse Pál Szeredi (PIM – Kassák Musem).
- Contact persons: Gábor Dobó (dobo.gabor@pim.hu), Merse Pál Szeredi (szeredi.merse.pal@pim.hu), and Eszter Őze (eszter.oze@szepmuveszeti.hu).

2. CfP: ESPRit Postgraduate Workshop on Periodical Studies (Budapest, 7 September 2022)

In conjunction with the 10th international conference of the European Society for Periodical Research (ESPRit), entitled Periodicals beyond Hierarchies: Challenging Geopolitical and Social „Centres“ and „Peripheries“ through the Press (Budapest, 8–9 September 2022, see the corresponding CfP at http://www.espr-it.eu/), a hybrid postgraduate workshop will be held on 7 September 2022. We seek applications from graduate students working on any topic with regard to periodicals from any historical period, geographical origin, and cultural context. The workshop is open to postgraduate students working in any discipline in the humanities and social sciences and using any methodology or approach. Priority will be given to advanced doctoral students, but applications by graduate students at any stage of preparation of their dissertation will also be considered. Personalised feedback will be offered by a committee comprising ESPRit members and members of the Museum of Fine Arts – Central European Research Institute for Art History (KEMKI) – Artpool and the Kassák Museum. Participants of the workshop will have their conference fee waived. Further funding for travel expenses and accommodation will be taken into consideration, under request.

To apply, please send:

- a 500-word abstract of the thesis to be presented. Workshop presentations last generally 10 minutes. In order for the Workshop to be useful to all participants what should be stressed is specific methodological points pertaining to periodical studies, rather than just case studies. These can of course be an outcome of the PhD candidate’s research area or PhD subject.
- a short CV (150 words) including name, institutional affiliation, and year of PhD. The academic CV should include the candidate’s studies, interests, and possible distinctions and publications.

Proposals should be received by the organisers no later than 28 February 2022. We look forward to welcoming you to the Central European Research Institute for Art History, Budapest!