We are pleased to share that registration is now open for this year’s conference, on the theme of ‘Crisis or Catastrophe', which will take place at the Institute of Languages, Cultures and Societies (ILCS), London, on 2–3 September 2026.

🚨 New SDN Officer 🚨 We are pleased to welcome Dana Vuckovic (Oxford) as our new PG and ECR Rep. Dana will take over from Helen McKelvey, @drhelenmckelvey.bsky.social. Thank you, Helen, for all of your amazing work in this role! You’ve made a real difference to so many PGs and ECRs!

We have extended the Call for Papers for our conference 𝘾𝙧𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙨 𝙤𝙧 𝘾𝙖𝙩𝙖𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙝𝙚 to 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 20𝘁𝗵 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹, giving some extra time for submissions after the Easter break. We welcome submissions from colleagues at every career stage, and especially postgraduates.

What a glorious morning and setting for Health and Happiness #SDNCardiff2026 - looking forward to the next couple of days of catching up with colleagues, sharing research and discussing what makes a healthy and happy career.

Two weeks to go until the Call for Papers for 𝘊𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘴 𝘰𝘳 𝘊𝘢𝘵𝘢𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘩𝘦?, our 2026 Annual Conference, closes. Submit your abstract via our website by 𝗠𝗼𝗻𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝟭𝟯 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲 www.asmcf.org/events/annua...

Instead of our traditional Members' Research Monday, we are delighted to share the CFP for our annual conference "Crisis or Catastrophe?", which will take place at the @ilcs.bsky.social on 2-3 September.

A reminder that our ECR workshop will now take place on Friday 23rd Jan at 3pm! It is open to all SDN members. Join Professor Helen Abbott (Birmingham) and Dr Hannah Scott (Newcastle) to talk about working outside the ivory tower and reaching a much broader audience.

We would be particularly delighted to see Postgraduate and Early Career colleagues submitting abstracts for this conference - from training sessions to a specific reception and just good company, there is plenty for you at SDN!

Looking forward to taking part in this session on impact and engagement this Friday with @drhelenmckelvey.bsky.social and Helen Abbott ⬇️

Our Initiative Fund is open for applications until 𝟯𝟭 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱: a small grant to help defray the costs of research events intended to benefit a wide public, such as conferences, study days, workshops & support for postgraduate activities.

asmcf.org has a fresh look! Follow the link to find all our news, the details and application forms for our prizes and funds, and information about our journal @francemodern.bsky.social Have a peek at our brand new website here:

There is still time to sign up for our session on Alt-Ac Careers tomorrow (26/9) at 4pm BST. Sign up via Eventbrite or drop me a message if you are interested!

The @uksdn.bsky.social EDN Workshops return next week, with a session from James Illingworth & Stacie Allan on Alt-Ac careers. Sign up at www.eventbrite.com/e/1589589076... or contact me for more details!

We hope to see many of you there as we discuss these important issues! For more information, or if you have any queries, please get in touch with our brilliant ECR officer, Dr Helen McKelvey @drhelenmckelvey.bsky.social

The second session on Impact will take place on 14th November, 4pm GMT. It will be hosted by Professor Helen Abbott (Birmingham) and Dr Hannah Scott (Newcastle). Sign ups will open in October for this event.

The first session will be on Alt-Ac Careers on 26th September at 4pm BST, delivered by Dr James Illingworth (IFSA) and Dr Stacie Allan (Translator and Consultant) To sign up for this session, please register with eventbrite here: www.eventbrite.com/e/edn-2025-a...

We are delighted to share the details of our upcoming Early Career training sessions. These are open to postgraduate and early career members of the Society, and will take the form of a roundtable with the panelists, followed by an opportunity for attendees to ask questions.

A beautiful morning and a remarkable venue for @asmcf annual conference #Nomadismes2025 - looking forward to lots of catching up & sharing of ideas in the next couple of days.

Yesterday was the end of my time at the University of Glasgow - three wonderful years working with excellent colleagues and students, that have just flown by. I'll miss it! I've learned so much from this role. Onwards to new opportunities!

La Haine, 30 Years Later rss.com/podcasts/fre... The second episode of French Talk is now available, including contributions from Florence Robles, (A Level French teacher at Runshaw College in Lancashire) and historians Louisa Zanoun, Ludivine Broch, Itay Lotem & Daniel Gordon.

Delighted to be in Durham for #SDNDurham2025 - an opportunity to catch up and share ideas. Looking forward to the brilliant keynotes and papers, and to meeting up with all the PGs and ECRs! @uksdn.bsky.social

So grateful for all the NIE teams out there this evening, working so hard in very cold and unpleasant conditions to get us all connected again, and for everyone who has been out clearing roads of fallen trees and extensive debris. They don't get the credit they deserve!

Still on the fence about the workbook? Try our popular "Organizing Principle" exercises for free: go.dissertationtobook.com/sample

The deadline is 5pm on Friday 31st January 2025. For full details please visit our website: uksdn.co.uk/sdn-publicat...

💫Calling our ECR and PG members💫 Remember to submit your entry to the SDN Publication Prize 2025. The prize is awarded to a PG or ECR member of the Society for the best peer-reviewed journal article in French and Francophone nineteenth-century studies published during 2024.

Cloud may have covered the summit, but it was still a spectacular day to climb Slieve Croob and drive the scenic route to the foot of the Mournes. What a privilege to live in such a beautiful part of the world.

The Nation’s Favourite Carol 'O Holy Night' has a controversial past, condemned by the church for revolutionary ideas on sin, slavery, and the redemption of proud, powerful men. Helen McKelvey explains all:

It's great to see colleagues developing the relationship between secondary & tertiary languages - Dr Ludivine Broch & Dr Daniel Gordon have recorded the French Talk podcast following their French, History and You outreach event (funded by ASMCF & SSFH) earlier this year: rss.com/podcasts/fre...

It was a pleasure to be involved in this podcast, sharing a bit about the (nineteenth century French) history and translation of O Holy Night! Thanks to Rosie Dawson and the Unseen Things podcast for inviting me along! thingsunseen.co.uk/podcasts/a-car…

The ASMCF is happy to share the Call for Papers for this year’s conference on ‘Nomadismes’ at the University of Kent on 2-3 September 2025. 👉The deadline for submission is 14 February 2025.

Upcoming SSFH & ASMCF Annual Douglas Johnson Memorial Lecture, 13 January 2025. Details are on the SSFH site, tickets to go live soon. Prof Hanna Diamond will be speaking on 'Discovering Josephine Baker's War' frenchhistorysociety.co.uk/douglas-john...

It’s feeling festive in the cloisters! ✨ #TeamUofG

A tour-de-force of scholarship and detective work: Fara Dabhoiwala reveals that a portrait of an 18th-century Black scientist, long dismissed as a caricature, is in fact a record of the man's mastery of Newtonian physics—and the only painting made in 1759 of the return of Halley's comet.

Just ONE WEEK to go now to submit a proposal for our 2025 SDN conference, on the subject of 'DomiNation' -- we'd *love* to see you in Durham! uksdn.co.uk/domination-d...

A fascinating seminar from @juliehardwick.bsky.social - thank you for illuminating the complex relationship between Catholicism and slavery, especially in Nantes. Both the talk and the discussion afterwards have given me so much to think about!

Still a fortnight to get your proposals in for @uksdn.bsky.social Annual Conference 2025 in Durham! Deadline coming up on 2 December, with the theme of DomiNation. We'd love to see you there!

Joining the exodus and so hello! I'm Helen, a French lecturer in Glasgow, interested in the history and literature of slavery, both historical and contemporary. I also have the privilege of being on the ASMCF and SDN committees, and you'll find me sharing about my work with them too.