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Lunchtime seminar: David Lederer ‘Caduti in Acqua: Lifesaving and the Public Sphere in the 18th Century’

Wednesday 7th December, 2016

1pm, Room 2.17, Arts Two.

On Wednesday 7 December, David Lederer will give a paper titled ‘Caduti in Acqua: Lifesaving and the Public Sphere in the 18th Century’.

The presentation addresses the formation of humane societies across eighteenth-century Europe and North America as part of a larger project on emotional welfare entitled ‘Love thy Neighbour’, conducted under the auspices of a Marie Skłodowska-Curie IOF from the European Union. Humane societies were lifesaving organisations to save ‘apparent’ victims of drowning (a euphemism for suicides). The first, the Maatschappij tot Redding van Drenkelingen, was a private society founded in Amsterdam in 1767. The humane society put wealthy physicians and clergy squarely in the public sphere and allowed for the accumulation of social capital through philanthropy without an embarrassment of riches. Through the Republic of Letters, the idea spread quickly to virtually every major city in Europe and across the Atlantic. However, structures varied; in some places, like Dresden, the Crown assumed the prerogative of intervention on behalf of its subjects, whereas in Bologna intervention fell under ecclesiastical jurisdiction. Structural variations notwithstanding, lifesaving manifested one of the earliest modern public health and safety policies in the service of the common weal.

All talks are free, booking not needed. Lunch will be provided. https://projects.history.qmul.ac.uk/emotions/news/autumn-term-events/

The talk will take place in the Arts Two building (room 2.17), Mile End Campus, London E1 4NS. For directions to Mile End and a campus map, seebit.ly/QMcampusmap.