Prof. Karen Green (University of Melbourne)

Course Description

This course will focus on the reception of John Locke’s classical liberalism and republicanism among women in 18th-Century England, particularly Catharine Trotter Cockburn and Catharine Macaulay. It will begin with a discussion of recent controversies over the role of Locke in the development of republicanism (Pocock, Israel, Pettit) in order to motivate reading Cockburn and Macaulay. After providing an overview of the lives and works of Cockburn and Macaulay, students will sign-up for presentations on readings by these women for next two afternoons. Wednesday will concentrate on Cockburn, her defence of Locke’s moral epistemology, and her play on The Revolution of Sweden (1706). Thursday will focus on Macaulay, specifically on sections from her Treatise on the Immutability of Moral Truth (1783) and the sections of her History of England (1763-83) defending the execution of Charles I. The aim will be to demonstrate the continuity between Cockburn and Macaulay, and their importance for understanding eighteenth-century republicanism in England. On the final day of the course, we will summarize and discuss the content of the course.

Course Schedule

Tuesday, 23 October  —  14:00-17:00
Wednesday, 24 October  —  10:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00
Thursday, 25 October  —  10:00-12:00 and 14:00-16:00
Friday, 26 October  — 10:00-13:00

Location

Technologiepark 21

How to Apply

Those interested in attending should send (in a single file) a copy of their CV along with a short letter of introduction describing their area of research and why they are interested in this course to contact@historyofwomenphilosophers.org no later than 12 October, 2018.

Attendees will be responsible for organizing their own travel and accommodations.