British Society for Literature and Science – BSLS Annual Conference 2022
Jerome acted as conference organiser for the BSLS 2022 Annual Conference, the pillar event of the British Society for Literature and Science. Organised as a partnership between The University of Manchester and Manchester Metropolitan University, this seventeenth edition of the conference took place 7-9 April 2022. The Friends’ Meeting House was the main conference hub, with additional activities held at Manchester Central Library and the International Antony Burgess Centre.
The British Society for Literature and Science was founded in 2005. It aims to promote and advance the study of all aspects of the relationships between literature and science. BSLS is a worldwide network of scholars, scientists, students and teachers, working on texts and cultures throughout history, from the ancient world to the present day, and on science in all its forms, including medicine and technology.
Jerome has three main areas of interest: Public History; the Historical Novel; Literature and culture of the English Revolution (c.1640-1660). His primary research interest is in public and popular history. Consuming History (2008; 2nd ed. 2016) and Remaking History (2015) are both published by Routledge and concern the ways in which contemporary popular culture engages with history. There are chapters on historical film, television (documentary and drama), museums, computer games, re-enactment and novel writing. He discusses writers like Hilary Mantel, David Peace, Thomas Pynchon, Ali Smith, and Sarah Waters. He talks about historical films from 12 Years a Slave to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, to the work of Quentin Tarantino.
He teaches English literature at the University of Manchester. His books include Consuming History and The Historical Novel, and he also chaired the board of trustees of the Manchester Literature Festival.
Manchester has a rich literary tradition, as home to some exceptional and high-profile poets, a thriving poetry and spoken word scene, award-winning publishers and writing development agencies and libraries which place writing and community outreach at the heart of their work. This heritage is represented in Manchester’s designation as an UNESCO City of Literature in 2017. Jerome led the bid for this designation.UNESCO Cities of Literature are awarded the title based on their dedication to pursuing excellence in literature locally and work together to promote new national and international links.
Prof de Groot commented: “Manchester is such an exciting place, with so many fabulous venues for meetings. I’ve organised academic and public engagement events in Libraries (Chetham’s Library, Manchester Central Library, the John Rylands Library, Longsight Library), Museums (Manchester Museum, Science+Industry Museum) and cultural spaces like HOME and the Poetry Library. Manchester’s collaborative and DIY ethos means that no matter how large or small your meeting you can give it added value through coproduction and joint working”.
