I’m currently in the process of reframing and rewriting my dissertation as a monograph. It’s been a humbling experience. While I knew that my dissertation would need work to be ready to send to university presses, I realized that I had no idea how the publication process might go. What do I need to do to speak to an editor? Should I send in an entire manuscript, or would I only need a few chapters to start? What on earth did a book proposal look like? While presses often have very basic information on their websites, they didn’t always answer questions specific to my situation.
The Charles Redd Center for Western Studies is pleased to announce multiple awards for 2024 that are available for scholars, students, or organizations conducting research or producing public programming from any discipline that is related to the Intermountain regions of Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah, or Wyoming. Applications for 2024 are due by 11:59 p.m. MST on March 15, and awardees will be notified by May 1.
Scholars have hotly debated the role that faith should play within Mormon Studies. Richard Bushman, for example, has argued believing scholars should develop their own hermeneutic that recognizes the presence of God in human history. Other scholars have rejected his suggestion, asking what evidence a person would use to identify the hand of God. The role that faith should play in writing history has been particularly contentious within Mormon history. Apologists and critics of the LDS Church have long used history to try to prove or disprove its truth claims. In this webinar, five scholars will discuss the role that faith should play in writing Mormon history and the difference between academic and devotional history.
Be sure to nominate your work, your friend’s work, your colleague’s work, and any work that you enjoyed on Mormon history for a Mormon History Association Award!
Information about all awards: https://mormonhistoryassociation.org/awards/
Printing for the Youth of Zion: One Approach to the History of Latter-day Saint Print Culture
In 1831, Joseph Smith dictated a revelation on the “printing…selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children also may receive instruction.” (D&C 55:4) This instruction to W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery established that the creation of printed material for children and youth was to be a priority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the effort of creating printed material for children lay largely dormant for a few decades, by the late nineteenth century, a robust print culture had developed around this goal, and it continued to gain momentum into the twentieth century.
Along with its relaunch, Element: A Journal of Mormon Philosophy and Theology seeks submissions for its upcoming 2024 issue. Submissions are welcomed from students and from lay and professional philosophers alike. Papers must engage with subject matter relevant to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in an intellectually rigorous manner, and must do so through the lens of the academic disciplines of philosophy or theology. To be considered for publication in the journal’s 2024 issue, submissions must be received by April 15, 2023, and must adhere to the journal’s submission and style guides. Submissions received after this date may be considered for publication in subsequent issues.
In 2023, The John Whitmer Historical Association Journal published twenty-three articles through a special edition for the association’s fifth anniversary (Vol 43, no.1) and the Fall/Winter Issue (Vol. 43, no. 2). Topics for these two volumes include international history (Community of Christ in England and Nigeria), women’s history, Latter-day Saint/Community of Christ interdenominational studies, art/theatre/literature, and more. The denominations published about include Community of Christ, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite), and the Church of Christ (Temple Lot).
The John Whitmer Historical Association also has a full index of published articles with short descriptions and past issues (2-year wall) available on its website. Subscriptions to the journal can be made by joining the association with both physical and electronic journal options available. Journal articles can also be found in libraries and through ILL.
The Young Women and Young Men Organizations of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
The Department of Church History and Doctrine at BYU and the Church History Department of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announce the Church History Symposium, October 24–25, 2024. The symposium will convene at Brigham Young University (October 24) and at the Church History Library in Salt Lake City (October 25). Keynote speakers include Young Women General President Emily Freeman, and Young Men General President Steven J. Lund, and Dr. Monica Mercado, Professor of Women’s Studies and North American Religions at Colgate University.
Printing for the Youth of Zion: One Approach to the History of Latter-day Saint Print Culture
In 1831, Joseph Smith dictated a revelation on the “printing…selecting and writing books for schools in this church, that little children also may receive instruction.” (D&C 55:4) This instruction to W.W. Phelps and Oliver Cowdery established that the creation of printed material for children and youth was to be a priority for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. While the effort of creating printed material for children lay largely dormant for a few decades, by the late nineteenth century, a robust print culture had developed around this goal, and it continued to gain momentum into the twentieth century.
The Church History Library in Salt Lake City will hold an all-day workshop on the history of Latter-day Saint printing for youth on Friday, May 17, 2024. Led by four scholars—Rebecca de Schweinitz, Amber Taylor, Lisa Olsen Tait, and Robin Scott Jensen—participants will explore the trends, technology, and implications of youth print culture through hands-on analysis of materials including books, magazines, newspapers, lesson manuals, and ephemera spanning the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. Participants will explore new ways of approaching and analyzing these sources.
Participation is limited to approximately fifteen individuals to ensure a quality workshop experience. Those interested in print history, including students (both upper-undergraduate and graduate), collectors, scholars, and other individuals wishing to expand their knowledge of the past are invited to apply. All applicants must submit a CV and a single-page letter of intent. Letters should include how this workshop might help their scholarship or further a project (academic or not) they are working on or planning to pursue. Though the workshop cannot cater to each stated project, some sessions might be shaped based upon letters of intent. Submissions are due January 15, 2024, emailed to either of the co-organizers (email addresses below).
Any questions can be directed to the co-organizers.
Robin Scott Jensen (jensenrob@churchofjesuschrist.org)
Lisa Olsen Tait (lisa.tait@ChurchofJesusChrist.org)
Church History Library
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The Church History Library is the repository for millions of printed items relating to the history of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Book History Program of the library seeks to raise awareness of the history of print culture of the Church and educate patrons of the Church History Library about the rich resources available. Do you have a topic you hope to see addressed? Let us know!
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Steve Fleming on Thoughts on Study and: “Thanks, Brent. Sorry I missed this. Get some more posts up soon.”
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thechair on New Books in Mormon: “What about Benjamin Park’s “American Zion,” published this month (Jan., 2024)?”
Chad Nielsen on New Books in Mormon: “Thanks for putting this together!”
Chad Nielsen on Relaunch of Element: A: “Is the April due date for 2024 or do I need to locate a TARDIS?”