I believe historians cannot operate alone or in an ‘ivory tower’ and so outreach to others and groups not connected to historical research should be a fundamental undertaking for every historian. As someone with a ‘niche’ field of research, I have found this activity to be the most rewarding personally and professionally.
Below are three areas where my research connects to others through presentations to specialist and non-specialist audiences, publications, and collaborative events. I welcome any suggestions for potential collaboration, please feel free to contact me.
Selected Presentations
I. Academic
Forthcoming
- 24/09/2019
Sinneserfahrungen zwischen dem Hier und Dort: Die Konstruktion des reisdenden Raums in den Briefen und Tagebüchern von Maria Carolina von Neapel-Sizilien, Sinnesräume – Sensory Studies and Spacial Concepts (University of Innsbruck, AT)
Previous
- 05/06/2020
Die Lesegewohnheiten Maria Carolinas von Neapel-Sizilien, Historische Bestseller und alte Scharteken: Neueste Studien zur Buch- und Leser*innengeschichte (University of Innsbruck, AT/Virtual Conference)
- 21/11/2019
(with Ellinor Forster) Histoire Croisée in den Schuhen Johann Wolfgang von Goethes auf seiner Reise nach Italien – und was daran ‘österreichisch’ ist, 2. Workshop des Doktoratskollegs Austrian Studies (University of Innsbruck, AT)
- 16/10/2019
The Mirror of Habsburg Reform in the Austrian Netherlands and Hungary: Maria Carolina’s Ideal Governance and its Opposition in Naples-Sicily 1775-1814, Pamphlets and Patriots: Oppositional Movements in the Austrian Netherlands and Hungary in 1789-1790 (Thomas Molnar Institute for Advanced Studies, Budapest, HU)
- 09/10/2019
The American Revolution as Motor in the Habsburg Workshop of World Knowledge, Empires of Circulation: Habsburg Knowledge in its Global Setting (IKT, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, AT)
- 26/09/2019
Encountering the Fields of Fire: Neapolitan Networks from Bohemia to Pennsylvania and the Transformation of Regional Study into Global Science, Integrating Global and Regional Histories Workshop (University of Innsbruck, AT)
- 14/09/2019
Experiencing the Age of Revolutions in the Habsburg Lands 1763-1814, Notre Dame Global Dome: Emerging Scholars in the Humanities Workshop (Mansfield College, University of Oxford, GB)
- 19/07/2019
‘A Revolution in Ink: Mapping Benjamin Franklin’s Epistolary Network in the Habsburg Monarchy, 1776-1789’ at the 15th International Congress on the Enlightenment (University of Edinburgh, GB)
- 28/06/2019
‘Jefferson’s Hammer and Austria’s Anvil: Trieste, the American Revolution, and the demise of the Austrian Atlantic,’ A Global History of Eighteenth-Century Trieste (SciencesPo, Paris, FR)
- 16/05/2019
- 13/05/2019
‘The Residue of Revolution: The American Revolution and the Habsburg Monarchy,’ Research Colloquium (University of Innsbruck, AT)
- 15/12/2018
Maria von Born’s ‘Abode of Misery’ – An Austrian Countess on the American Frontier 1766-1830, European Early American Studies Association (King’s College London, UK)
- 15/11/2018
Zum habsburgischen Netzwerk Benjamin Franklins, part of the ÖGE18’s Tag der 18 Jhr. (Österreichischen Gesellschaft für Literatur im Palais Wilczek, Vienna, AT)
- 28/06/2018
Beginning Her World Anew: An Austrian Noblewoman in Early America, Hagley Library Research Seminar (Hagley Library and Museum, Wilmington, DE, USA)
- 04/04/2018
Empires on the Edge – The Habsburg Monarchy and the American Revolution, part of the “Imperial Entanglements in a Vast Early America” panel at the joint EBAAS/BAAS Conference (King’s College London, UK)
- 17/12/2017
The Atlantic Prism or Prison?, Co-organiser and participant in Revolutionizing the Age of Revolutions Conference (University of Notre Dame, Rome, IT)
- 01/09/2017
Empires on the Edge – The Habsburg Monarchy and the American Revolution as part of the “Entangled Revolutions since the 18th Century” panel at the Fifth European Congress on World and Global History (Corvinus and Central European Universities, Budapest, HU)
- 17/06/2017
“Some Here Are Warm for the Part of America” The Habsburg Monarchy and the American Founding, Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture Conference ( University of Michigan at Ann Arbor MI, USA)
- 03/06/2017
Eighteenth-Century Scotland Through Austrian Eyes,Scottish Historical Review Trust ‘Works in Progress’ Conference (University of Dundee, UK)
- 08/01/2017
“Angels of the New Republic” The American Founding and the Habsburg Monarchy, American Historical Association Annual Conference (Denver Convention Center CO, USA)
- 05/12/2016
Empires on the Edge – The Habsburg Monarchy and the American Revolution, 25th Forschungs Forum at INZ (Austria Academy of Sciences, AT)
- 08/09/2016
The Elephant in the Revolution – The Habsburg Monarchy in the War of American Independence, British International History Group Conference (University of Edinburgh, UK)
- 02/09/2016
“Angels of the New Republic” Central European Perceptions of American Freedom 1776-1787, British Group of Early American Historians (University of Cambridge, UK)
- 12/07/2016
John Adams and Pietro Leopoldo’s Imagined Empire, Global Dome Scholars Workshop (University of Notre Dame, London, UK)
- 17/06/2016
Cultural, Diplomatic, and Intellectual Relations between the Habsburg Monarchy and United States 1776-1789, Atelier Doctoral en Histoire des Relations Internationales (University of Geneva, CH)
- 17/03/2016
Cultural, Diplomatic, and Intellectual Relations between the “A Story of Benign Neglect?” The Habsburgs and the American Revolution, Hungarian-American Institute Guest Lecture (University of Debrecen, HU)
- 05/03/2016
The Habsburg Empire Strikes Back!, Scottish Association of the Study of America (University of Stirling, UK)
- 29/02/2016
Thomas Jefferson and the Habsburg Monarchy, Institute of Advanced Study in the Humanities (University of Edinburgh, UK)
- 07/01/2016
A Story of Benign Neglect? The Habsburgs and the American Revolution, German Historical Institute Annual Conference (GHI London, UK)
- 09/10/2015
The Wars of Bavarian Succession and American Independence, Centre for the Study of Modern Conflict (University of Edinburgh, UK)
- 05/09/2015
The Habsburgs Get No Respect – The American Revolution from a Viennese Perspective, British Group of Early American Historians (University of Sheffield, UK)
- 24/06/2015
Jefferson and the Habsburgs – Intrigue and Statecraft 1783-1787, Fellow’s Research Forum (International Center for Jefferson Studies, VA, USA)
- 08/05/2015
175 or 235 Years of Austro-American Relations? Reflections and Repercussions for the Modern-Day, Cross-Cultural Encounters Conference (University of Salzburg, AT)
- 30/03/2015
“One of the Greatest Philosophers” and the “thoroughly ugly” gentleman – Comparing Viennese Perceptions of Benjamin Franklin and William Lee,British International Studies Association (King’s College London, UK)
- 19/02/2015
“The Long, Laborious, and Odious Task” – William Lee and the Struggle for American Recognition in Vienna, Transatlantic Video-seminar (Universities of Edinburgh and Virginia, UK and USA)
II. Public and General
Vienna Humanities Festival 2017, Vienna
Following an invitation from the Festival Director Matti Bunzl, I talked on the theme “The American Revolution … and Austria” in front of a large non-specialist audience on Saturday 23rd September 2017. The theme of that year’s festival was ‘Revolution!’ which accurately reflected the overarching theme of my historical interest.
Austrian-American Society / Österreichische-Amerikanische Gesellschaft, Vienna
Following an invitation by ÖAG Programme Director Vic Huber, I presented an hour-long overview of my research into early US-Habsburg relations interested members and guests of the Society in the Vienna Clubhouse. An engaging Q&A followed and I have since been invited to give a multi-part lecture series in the near future.
Transatlantic Seminar Series, School of Social and Political Science at Edinburgh
Following an invitation by the Transatlantic Seminar organiser Prof. John Peterson, I presented the open lecture ‘The American Revolution – What Are We Missing?’ which you can view online. The audience was a mixture of politics students and the general public.
Events Organised & Assisted
Revolutionizing the Age of Revolutions, Workshop, Rome, 17-19 December 2017
Together with Dr. Anna Vincenzi then at the University of Notre Dame, we successfully proposed and were awarded funding for conference-workshop to take stock of what we mean by the ‘Age of Revolutions’ nowadays. The conference featured novel approachs to integrate the research of existing and emerging scholars in the field over three days at the Global Gateway Center at Rome in December 2017. The conference programme is available here.
Gilder Lehrman American History Seminar, Accelator Course, Edinburgh, 2017-2019
The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History aims “to promote the knowledge and understanding of American history through educational programs and resources” especially for K-12 students and teachers. From 2017 to 2019, I’ve assisted Prof. Frank Cogliano’s week-long seminar “Thomas Jefferson and the World of the Enlightenment” at the University of Edinburgh.
Transatlantic Seminar & Excursion, Universities of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Virginia, 2016
For ten years UoE, UoG, and UVA have held a monthly videolink seminar between scholars of American history in their respective history departments. I was honoured to be given the task of co-organising the seminar series for 2015-2016, which included liaising with my UVA counterpart, managing the software, and preparing presenters. My tenure also saw the first organised visit of the seminar participants, thanks to funding from the US Embassy London. I co-organised the five-day exchange for the seventeen scholars from the Scottish side to the UVA campus between April 11th-15th 2016. You can read an account here of the exchange as well as my own reflections here.
Researching International History, Doctoral Training Workshop, Edinburgh, 2016
In May 2016, I helped conceptualise and put together a successful funding bid for a two-day doctoral workshop on theory and practices of international history for fifty doctoral students from across Scotland and Northern England. Alongside PhD student presentations, we featured expert plenaries from more established speakers such as above, where I acted as chair and gave the comment.
Jonathan Singerton 