The London-Paris Romanticism Seminar is an international research forum devoted to British Romantic literature, its European connections, and the broader culture of the Romantic period. Founded in 2016, the forum is a collaboration between Queen Mary University of London, four other colleges of the University of London (Birkbeck, Goldmiths, King’s, and UCL), and a number of French institutions and organisations, including the École Normale Supérieure (Paris), Sorbonne Université, Université Sorbonne Nouvelle, Université Paris Cité and the Société d’Études du Romantisme Anglais.
The forum has two main strands. The first is a monthly research seminar in London, hosted in Senate House, University of London by the Institute of English Studies, part of the School of Advanced Study. The second is a two-day symposium in Paris, held every two years at the École Normale Supérieure and/or Sorbonne Université. The London-Paris Romanticism Seminar also organises collaborative events with other research groups and recently launched an international graduate summer school.
London seminars
The London seminar, organised by a steering group of Romanticists from the London area, meets monthly on a late Friday afternoon and features a series of distinguished visiting speakers from across the UK, Europe, and beyond. Some seminars involve the pairing of speakers from different countries, a key aim of the series being to foster dialogue between Romanticists in the UK and scholars from abroad. All aspects of Romanticism are covered, including comparative and interdisciplinary topics. The seminar is open to everyone, including postgraduates and members of the public. Admission is free.
Paris symposium
The Paris symposium is organised by a steering group of Romanticists from French institutions, with assistance from the Société d’Études du Romantisme Anglais and in liaison with the London team. The next symposium will take place in 2027. Information about this event will be posted on the Symposium page of this website.
Previous symposia themes were Romantic Shock and Surprise (2025), Oaths, Odes and Orations 1789-1830 (2022), Exiles, Émigrés and Expatriates in Romantic-Era Paris and London (2018) and Wordsworth: The French Connection (2017). Selected papers from these conferences have been published in special issues of the international journal Litteraria Pragensia. They can be accessed free of charge on the Publications page of this website.
Collaborative events
From time to time, the London-Paris Romanticism Seminar teams up with other organisations to host one-day conferences in London. In 2019, it collaborated with the Fordham Romanticism Group, New York, and the Royal Institution of Great Britain to organise a one-day symposium on the theme Romanticism at the Royal Institution. A special issue of the journal Romanticism originating in this event was published in 2025. Details can be found on our Publications page.
International Summer School of Romanticism
An International Summer School of Romanticism was launched in 2022 at the Charles University, Prague. Affiliated to the London-Paris Romanticism Seminar, this week-long graduate summer school extends the aims of the Seminar by bringing together postgraduate students and staff from across Europe and offering intensive instruction on current developments in Romantic studies. Subsequent summer schools have take place in Prague (2023) and Ghent (2025). Details of the Ghent programme can be found here.
The next summer school will be held in Prague in June 2027. A small number of places may be available to graduate students outside the partner institutions. If you are interested, please write to info@londonparisromantic.com
We look forward to welcoming you to our events. To get in touch, see our Contacts page
David Duff (London Director) Laurent Folliot (Paris Director)
