This roundtable invites speakers to address any aspect of the so-called Renaissance self. Borrowing from Jan Goldstein, the cultural historian Elwin Hofman describes the self as “individuated mental stuff.” How might this definition inform our understanding of conceptions of the self that developed during the early modern period? What was the relationship between selfhood, self-consciousness, and identity? What kinds of evidence—artistic, confessional, visual, literary, legal, philosophical, textual, or medical—allow us to approach this question? What methodologies offer the most promise? Given the paradoxical nature of the self, both historically and in our own moment, how might it be treated as a proper object of study? If the self is made of “individuated mental stuff,” how can it be accessed at all? The session aims to be both theoretical and practical: alongside a broader discussion of the “Renaissance self,” speakers will consider how they have grappled with the question in their own research.

Scholars at any career stage and from any discipline are invited to participate; doctoral candidates and early career scholars are especially encouraged to apply. Please send a two-page CV and a brief statement describing what you would address to hcotter@umass.edu by June 25. Accepted participants will be notified no later than June 30.

Please note that submitting a proposal constitutes a commitment to attend in person.