A taste of the Caribbean

A taste of the Caribbean is expected to arrive in Fife this week when a conference on the Early Modern Caribbean takes place at the University of St Andrews.

The conference, organised by the School of History in association with the University’s African and Caribbean Society, and with assistance from ‘FRAE (Fairness, Race Awareness & Equality) Fife’, will take place this weekend, running from Friday 14th to Sunday 16th June.

The School’s Annual Symposium, entitled ‘Boundaries: Access, Control and Identities in the Early Modern greater Caribbean’, will consist of a series of lectures given by an international panel of distinguished speakers from France, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic, as well as England and Scotland. Topics under discussion will be the colonial Caribbean and the formation of political boundaries; and national identities; social control and gender boundaries in the Greater Caribbean.

“The event is very much a recognition and celebration of the diverse ethnic groups and cultures within St Andrews and the University itself, and we are delighted to be working with FRAE Fife on this occasion,” said Dr Brian Lang, Principal and Vice- Chancellor of the University.

Those chairing sessions and speaking over the three days include Dr Betty Wood (University of Cambridge), Dr Rebecca A. Earle (University of Warwick), Dr Lynne Guitar (Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic), Professor Hamish Scott (University of St Andrews), Dr Andrew Cook (British Library), Dr David Munro (Royal Scottish Geographical Society), Dr Trevor Burnard (Brunel University), Dr Natalie Zacek (University of Manchester), Professor John Mackenzie (University of Lancaster), Anne Perotin-Dumon (University of London), Nuala Zahedieh (University of Edinburgh) and the St Andrews organisers, Professor Bruce Lenman and Dr Sarah Pearsall.

Among the lectures to be given are: ‘Thomas Thistlewood’s Slave Women and their Responses to Enslavement, Jamaica, 1750 – 1786’ and ‘Constucting Gender Boundaries: Sex and Social Control in the English Leeward Islands’.

To give delegates a full flavour of the Caribbean experience, guests will be treated to an evening of Afro-Caribbean music, food and dancing on the Saturday evening.

The conference is being co- organised by Professor Bruce Lenman and Dr Sarah Pearsall of the Department of Modern History.

Professor Lenman said: “This year’s symposium is something of a rainbow effort with something on all the major regional cultures from the indigenous Indians to the Spanish, French, and British derived cultures of the post- European impact islands, with some especial emphasis on the effects of black slavery.”

Limited places are still available, and interested parties should contact Lorna Harris at the School of History on 01334 462900 or email [email protected] in the first instance for a programme and enrolment form. Potential participants should note that they must enrol in advance, and that this is a non-residential programme. The weekend fee is £5 or £2 if only part of the weekend can be attended.

All talks and events during the weekend will be held in St. John’s House, South Street, St Andrews.

Registration is from 3pm on Friday 14th, from 9am on Saturday 15th and 9:30 am on Sunday 16th.

ENDS

Issued by Beattie Media On behalf of the University of St Andrews

Contact Gayle Cook on 01334 467227, mobile 07900 050103, or email [email protected]

Ref: Caribbean Event pr 110602

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