Report on the workshop on Nineteenth-Century Spain held at the Palazzo PesaroPavafava, University of Warwick, Venice, 22-23 March 2007
The idea of this workshop was to bring together specialists in nineteenthcentury (pre-1875 Bourbon Restoration) Spain based in the United Kingdom who
would profit from spending two days together discussing their research. The intention
was also to develop a research network among scholars working on nineteenth
century Spain, a neglected period in comparison to the Golden Age or the Civil War.
A selection of scholars at all stages of their careers, from Ph D students to senior
figures, would be invited. Additionally, a distinguished Spanish historian would be
invited to act as discussant and commentator, with the Spanish Embassy in Rome
informed of the event and invited to participate. A further idea was to include a senior
Hispanist from the United State to be funded through the North America Travel Fund,
in furtherance of University’s North America strategy. Finally, those invited were
informed that a publisher for the papers would be sought and that a future reunion,
perhaps on a more specialised theme, should be considered.
I am happy to report that all of these objectives were achieved.
Venice proved to be a highly attractive destination. Acceptances were swift
and enthusiastic, replacements easy to find when some people after their initial
enthusiasm backed out.
i) British specialists on 19th C Spain
The following British based scholars gave papers at the workshop:
- Professor Charles Esdaile (University of Liverpool) “From liberal to servile: the
strange case of John Downie”
- Mr. Peter Cooke (Birkbeck College) “Seven 'Cartas de Londres': aspects of
autonomy and morality in 'Ocios de Españoles emigrados'”
- Professor Brian Hamnett (University of Essex) "Joaquin Lorenzo Villanueva: from
'Enlightened Catholic' to 'Catholic Liberal. The dilemma of transition"?
- Dr. Kate Ferris (University College, London) "Models of abolition: the United
States in Spanish political culture and the question of the abolition of slavery in Cuba
1868-1874"
- Mr. Mark Lawrence (University of Liverpool) “Radical Málaga and the “The
Widows of Comares”: Making the case for Popular Radicalism”
- Professor Andrew Ginger (University of Stirling) "A Modern Self for Spain?
Liberals, Democrats, and the Cultural History of the 'Historical Subject’”
- Dr Guy Thomson (University of Warwick) “The Revolution of Loja of July 1861:
Carbonari Conspiracy and Democracy in Modern Spain"
ii) Distinguished Spanish scholar
Professor Isabel Burdiel (University of Valencia), one of the most distinguished and
influential Spanish historians working on the 19th Century, gave a plenary a paper on
her current research on Queen Isabel II (1834-1868): “La ilusión monárquica del
liberalismo. El reinado de Isabel II".
iii) North American Hispanist
Dr.Alda Blanco, University of Wisconsin, who was currently on study leave in Rome,
gave a paper, “Spain at the Crossroads: Imperial Nostalgia or Modern Colonialism?”
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iv) Spanish Embassy in Rome
The conference was attended His Excellency, D. José Luis Dicenta Ballester,
Ambassador of Spain in Rome, and by D. Joaquín Manrique Mayor, Cultural
Counsellor. The Spanish Embassy in Rome contributed 2000 euros to the cost of
entertainment and Joaquín Manrique has promised support for further events at the
Palazzo Pesaro-Pavafava relating to Spain.
v) Italian participation
Two papers were given by scholars resident in Italy: Professor Antonio Annino
(Universidad de Florencia) “La ruralización constitucional de la ciudadanía. Una
herencia de la crisis imperial 1808-1824”, and, Dr. Jorge Luengo (European
University Institute, Florence) “Self-building. The formation of a new political elite in
Valladolid (1833-1843)”
vi) Postgraduate involvement
Warwick MA student, Francisco Eissa-Barroso (who this year received a University
Postgraduate Award to fund his PhD), helped with the organisation of the conference,
including chairing all of the sessions. The History department contributed £350
towards his expenses.
v) Publication
The conference papers have been accepted for publication by the University of
Valencia, thanks to the influence of Isabel Burdiel. They are currently being translated
and will be introduced and edited by Guy Thomson and Alda Blanco. The collection
will be submitted to the University of Valencia at the end of July 2007.
Overall, then, the conference was a great success. Nine months passed between its
initial conception in October 2006 and the deadline for submitting final versions of
the papers in July 2007.
Travelling and subsistence expenses of those attending the conference were funded
from generous grants received from the Humanities Research Centre (£1500), the
North American Fund (£500.00), the Spanish Embassy in Rome (£1,340.00), the RDF
(£1,184.00), and the History Department.
Guy Thomson, 6/6/07
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