Periodicals and the World

Since their inception, periodicals have travelled across regions, reporting on local and global events and developments, and shaping public discourse on what constitutes the 'world’. In recent years, periodical studies have dramatically expanded their geographical focus, increasingly examining transnational and global trajectories. This shift has also redefined the place of ‘Europe’ in the field. Once viewed as the birthplace of the periodical, Europe is now considered just one of many locations where periodicals thrived. The 14th ESPRit conference, held at the Royal Library in Belgium, will explore questions prompted by the concept of ‘world’. It will consider both the place of the periodical in the world and the world of the periodical itself, with its own dynamics and vision.