The first PCPS CE General Meeting in Prague (February 17-19, 2025) brought together an international community of scholars exploring print culture and public spheres in Central Europe from 1500-1800. During three productive days, participants across five working groups made significant progress on the project’s major deliverables: “The Handpress World of the Habsburg Monarchy” and the comprehensive “Print Culture and Public Spheres in Central Europe” compendium. The conference featured lively discussions on publication strategies, digital humanities tools, and research methodologies, with particular attention given to developing shared conceptual frameworks. The management committee also confirmed leadership positions and reviewed budget considerations, while keynote speakers including Mathew Grenby, Massimo Rospocher, and local hosts Claire Mádl and Michael Wögerbauer delivered engaging presentations on children’s instructional print, intermediality, and book geographies.
Looking ahead, the COST Action announced several important upcoming events, including a Young Researchers and Innovators Summer School in Cluj-Napoca (July 2025) focused on readership practices and a conference in Sofia (May 2026) examining censorship in early modern Central Europe. Both the newly formed Scientific Communication Team and Young Researchers Team shared their work plans and established dedicated communication channels to better engage all COST members. The conference concluded with enriching visits to Prague’s historic collections at the Nostitz, Kinský, Strahov, and National Library, offering attendees the opportunity to ground theoretical discussions in tangible artifacts of Central European print culture. These experiences provided valuable inspiration as the project continues its collaborative exploration of how print shaped public discourse across this culturally rich region.
See our full conference report below: