The Early Modern Studies (EMS) cluster in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Bristol consists of a group of scholars from the Arts, Humanities, and Modern Languages, active in the renaissance and early modern periods.

The EMS quite purposefully puts no dates to its remit: where the 'early modern' or 'renaissance' begun and ended is entirely dependent on geography and discipline, and subject to unresolved debate; moreover, the members of the cluster are as interested in what may appear to be our methodological, disciplinary, and chronological fringes, as we are in the canonical and central areas of the early modern. 

The aim of the cluster is to draw together existing local cross-disciplinary activities at Bristol, organise social events, host internal and external speakers, support research initiatives, and advertise early-modern activity across the university and the city of Bristol. We also hope to strengthen connections with early modernists at neighbouring universities, especially within GW4.

EMS has hosted an inaugural lunch meeting in June 2016. At this meeting, EMS set its objectives, and determined how it can best serve the needs of the community at Bristol (academic and support staff, postgraduate research students). A local symposium has been planned for July 2016. An updated web presence will supercede this temporary note of our activities. 

If you would like to be involved with the EMS in any way, please contact the conveners: Sebastiaan Verweij and Kenneth Austin.