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The American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies, established in 1969, is the foremost learned society in the United States for the study of all aspects of the long eighteenth century.

WHO WE ARE

A Masked Ball in Bohemia, attributed to Andreas Altomonte, ca. 1748. Austrian. The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Red LOVE sculpture in the John F. Kennedy Plaza.

ANNUAL MEETING

The CfP is open for the 56th Annual Meeting of the American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies , to be held April 9-11, 2026, in Philadelphia!

Submit your session proposal now!

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Love Sculpture Photo, K Huff for PHLCVB

MEMBERS

ASECS promotes the study and teaching of the long eighteenth century through diverse networks at membership, society, and international levels. Engage with other members and partners to support our mission and the field.

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Tartars Playing Polo, Kano Eisen’in Furunobu 狩野永川院古 , early 18th Century. Japan.
Metropolitan Museum of Art.

LATEST NEWS

Painting of an Indian Woman. Anna Maria von Phul, 1818. Native American. 
Missouri Historical Society

International Herder Society Biannual Conference

The International Herder Society is holding its Biannual Conference September 4-7, 2025 in Toronto, Canada. International Herder Society   Biannual Conference   Toronto, Canada 4–7 September, 2025   H…

New Publication: “The Ballad World of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland,” by Ruth Perry

ASECS member Ruth Perry has published The Ballad World of Anna Gordon, Mrs. Brown of Falkland. Twelve sung ballads were recorded to go with the book and they can be heard on a companion website for th…

End of Year Letter, ASECS President

The following email was sent to members June 26, 2025. Dear ASECS members, It has been a wonderful honor to serve as your President this year. As I prepare to welcome the incoming President and the ne…

Call for Manuscripts: The Goethe Yearbook

Members may find this call from our affiliate society, the Goethe Society, of interest. Coeditors Eleanor ter Horst (University of South Alabama) and Sarah Vandegrift Eldridge(University of Tennessee,…

All News and Updates
The bold interlocking swirl of red and white suggests worldly dualities. Painted ceramics such as this are synonymous with Quapaw peoples. The group migrated from the Ohio River valley south to the confluence of the Arkansas and Mississippi rivers around the 16th century. During this time, artists stopped using exotic North American materials sourced through long distance trade, such as copper and shell, and instead expanded upon earlier ceramic traditions. Quapaw artists seem to draw inspiration from the globular body and tapering necks of gourds while consistently using color combinations of red, white, black, and buff. It is likely this “teapot” form was based on vessels introduced following the arrival of Europeans in the mid-16th century. The Quapaw nation continued to inhabit what is now Arkansas through the early 19th century. Following policies set by the United States government and the signing of three treaties, the government forcibly removed Quapaw peoples to present-day Oklahoma, where the Quapaw nation is located today.

OUR RESOURCES

ASECS is a member of a number of associations devoted to supporting and advocating for the humanities. The Society is pleased to offer members a number of resources on research and teaching, events, grants and fellowships, and member support. Stay apprised of humanities and nonprofit policy updates, ways to advocate, and deadlines for funding.

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Quapaw Culture (Arkansas/Midsouth), Spouted Vessel with Painted Motifs,
ca.1500–1700 (maybe 1600). Saint Louis Art Museum