The Politics of the ‘Sociable Self’: Theories and Practices (1650-1850)
The aim of this interdisciplinary seminar is (1) to explore the formation and evolution of the concept of a ‘sociable self’ during the long eighteenth century (1650-1850); (2) to historicize theories of sociability by grounding them in social practices so as to understand their mutual influence; (3) to examine the role of sociability in the definition of social bonds and civic practices (sense of belonging, social attachment, national affection, public engagement); (4) to explore how these concepts and practices were subject to debate, contest and change.
The seminar series will investigate the changing meaning and theorisation of the ‘sociable’ self in various discourses (political and moral philosophy, anthropology, medical science, economic theory …). It will also explore the dissemination of these meanings and theories as well as attempts to put them into practice in different contexts and through different means, such as journalism, clubbing, debating societies, fiction writing, travel writing, and life writing. We will seek to identify key moments and events that triggered changes in how the sociable-self was conceived of and put into practice. The seminar series will also examine the broadening of the meaning of sociability from referring to a personal trait (‘fellowlike’, ‘friendly’) and a natural inclination (to ‘keep company’) to referring to mutually beneficial social interactions and a desire to forge the ‘general interest’. To what extent does the theory of the ‘sociable self’ provide a new perspective to understand the tensions at work between the motives and aspirations of the individual and the constraints and interests of the social group.
Thinking about the politics of the ‘sociable self’ will also raise questions about the centrality of sociability in Enlightenment culture, the tensions with individuality, the changing representations of solitude, and the embodied, material and emotional aspects of the interpersonal constitution of ‘sociable selves’. The COVID pandemic heightened our awareness of the need for social interactions and social bonds, especially among young and elderly people. The renewal of academic interest in theories of the 'self' and on social attachment attests to the ongoing relevance of this important topic. Moreover, the predominant culture of ‘the self’ in our contemporary societies is inevitably affecting how we imagine and maintain sociability.
Brainstorming sessions on secondary and primary sources
* The first session is organised in Paris on June 7, 2024, from 17:00 to 19:00. It will take place at Université Paris Cité, Bâtiment Olympe de Gouges, 8, Place Paul-Ricoeur, Paris (room 830). From 16:30, Camille Payeur (UQAM), laureate of the GIS Sociabilités Master's Thesis Prize 2023, will present her research and will officially receive her award.
The session will focus on secondary sources which address the construction of selfhood and socialness in the long eighteenth century. You can download below the PDF versions of the chapters and articles under scrutiny. Our discussions will focus on the four aspects identified in the above description of the seminar: (1) formation of the concept of 'sociable self'; (2) mutual influence theories / practices; (3) definition and structuration of social bonds; (4) debates and evolution of concept.
A zoom link will be provided one week before the session. Members are asked to confirm their presence by sending a message to gis.sociabilites@gmail.com.
On the self:
- Dror Wahrman, ‘The Ancien Regime of Identity’, in The Making of the Modern Self. Identity and Culture in Eighteenth Century England, Yale University Press, 2006. PDF version
- Dror Wahrman, ‘The Modern Regime of Selfhood’, in The Making of the Modern Self. Identity and Culture in Eighteenth Century England, Yale University Press, 2006. PDF version
On the sociable self:
- Larry F. Norman, ‘Modern Identity and The Sociable Self in The Late Seventeenth Century’, Nottingham French Studies, Vol. 47, No.3, Autumn 2008, p. 34-44. PDF version.
- Phil Withington, ‘The Sociable Self’, Society in Early Modern England, Polity Press, 2010. PDF version.
* The second session on a selection of primary sources will take place in Paris on September 27, 2024, from 17:00 to 19:00
THEMATIC SESSIONS
* Sociability and animality - 8 November 2024 at Université de Rennes 2, from 17:00 to 19:00 (French time)
- Silvia Sebastiani (EHESS Paris) - A social orang-utan? Enlightenment Debates on the borders of humanity
- Jane Spencer (University of Exeter) - A 'fellowship of sense with all that breathes': the representation of human—animal bonds in eighteenth-century and Romantic writing
Contact: Sophie Mesplède & Kimberley Page-Jones
* Educating the sociable self - 29 January 2025 in London at the National Archives, from 16:00 to 18:00 (UK time)
- Géraldine Lepan (Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès) - Le devenir sociable de l’enfant dans l’Emile de Rousseau (provisional title)
- Matthew Grenby (Newcastle University) - Delight in Friendship: managing the sociable self in early British children’s literature
Contact: Michèle Cohen & Mascha Hansen