CfP: A Cultural History of the Universe in the Renaissance (1450-1700)

A Cultural History of the Universe in the Renaissance (1450-1700) will be an edited volume in a six-volume series published by Bloomsbury Publishing, expected in August 2020. This series will be a part of Bloomsbury’s The Cultural History Series. For more information, see: https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/series/the-cultural-histories-series/
Aims and Scope of the Six-Volume Series, A Cultural History of the Universe:
The universe is, literally, everything that there is. However, commonly defined it is outer space, beyond the Earth’s atmosphere, from the Moon to the farthest galaxies. A Cultural History of The Universe traces the ways in which individuals and societies have interacted with the universe from Antiquity to the present. The emphasis will be on the West, effectively Europe and North America, but will necessarily fully examine the ancient Near East and the Islamic world, and contributors will be encouraged to make connections with the wider world where useful, notably in the encounters created by trade, art and the exchange of ideas. Since the universe is such an all-pervasive feature in society, the readership of A Cultural History of the Universe is anticipated to range across the social sciences, humanities and the arts. 
Aims and Scope of A Cultural History of the Universe in the Renaissance.
This volume will cover the period of the European Renaissance and Scientific Revolution. Both concepts, especially the Scientific Revolution, have been critiqued, yet remain conventionally accepted periods. Current perspectives tend to emphasize continuity rather than revolution. Key features of the period include the introduction of Platonic and Hermetic cosmology into the Christian West, and the two centuries of scientific investigation that began with Copernicus’s argument for heliocentricity, Kepler’s laws of planetary motion, Galileo’s use of the telescope and Newton’s theory of universal gravitation. The developments are vividly represented in literature and the visual arts. The final essay will consider conceptions of the universe in sub-Saharan Africa. 
Seeking Contributors for the Following Chapters: 
1. Theories of the Universe
- This chapter will explore the development of different theoretical and metaphysical conceptions of the universe and humanity’s relationship to it. 
6. Reckoning and Time Keeping 
- This chapter will investigate the different ways in which people have kept time and the relationship of these timekeeping practices with changing knowledge and conceptions of the universe. 
7. Representing the Universe
- This chapter will investigate the diverse ways in which the universe has inspired and been represented in the arts, including the fine, decorative and performing arts, literature, film, television and digital media. 
Guidelines for Each Chapter and Compensation:
Each chapter will be between 8-9,000 words, inclusive of all notes and references. Chapters are to be an overview of a theme from the designated period. Case material should be illustrative not substantive. Contributors each receive a £100 fee on publication together with a copy of their volume.
Project Timeline:
First drafts of chapters are due to the volume editor by December 31, 2018. All materials will be delivered to the publisher in September 2019. The series publication is set for August 2020. 

Please send CV to Lindsay Starkey (lstarke3@kent.edu) by February 2, 2018.