Catalogued Empire: New Readings of Habsburg Inventories
Papers are invited for an interdisciplinary session on new research related to the Habsburgs at the Renaissance Society of America meeting in Philadelphia from March 11-13, 2027. Scholarly study of Habsburg inventories has revealed a family that managed their empire, in part, through the accumulation of things within a complex network of relationships. Much of this scholarly attention has been paid to female members of the family who used their personal belongings to advocate for their position and prerogatives. This session aims to build upon previous studies by not only considering the inventories of individuals, but the historical narratives that can be read in the spaces between the items to reveal relationships, social networks, and imperial ambitions. We invite new research that expands our understand of the Habsburgs through new source material (visual, material, or textual), the application of new methods and theoretical frameworks, or new lines of inquiry. All topics related to early modern Habsburg inventories will be considered; proposals the center women or issues of gender in thought-provoking ways are especially welcome.
Proposals for 20-minute papers should be sent to Oskar J. Rojewski (o.rojewski@geo.uned.es) and Jessica Weiss (jweiss16@msudenver.edu) by August 1st and should include the following:
- Author’s name and affiliation
- The email address associated with your RSA profile (which should be up to date)
- Paper title (15-word maximum)
- Paper abstract (150-word maximum)
- PhD completion date (past or expected)
- A brief CV (2 page maximum)
The organizers will notify selected speakers as soon as possible, before the RSA session submission deadline. The conference will be in-person. Participants must be RSA members at the time of the event.