CfP: Marriages, Couples, and the Making of Mathematical Careers, April 29-30 2021

We are pleased to invite proposals for presentations at an online workshop to be held 29–30 April 2021 on the topic of Marriages, Couples, and the Making of Mathematical Careers.

This workshop proposes to explore the role of marriage and other domestic partnerships in the lived practice and constructed memory of mathematics. Though mathematicians are often imagined as the quintessential solitary researchers, many have managed the daily routines of a mathematical career through partnership with a spouse who was intimately involved in their working life or the posthumous construction of their legacy. Whilst marriage is certainly not the unique social form such collaboration can take, it does offer an especially clear window on the unstable boundaries dividing labour into the intellectual and the domestic, the masculinized and the feminized, the credited and the unacknowledged.

We welcome proposals exploring any aspect of intimate partnerships in the history of mathematics. We are especially interested in submissions focusing on mathematics outside of Europe and North America, on partnerships other than formally married heterosexual couples, and on mathematical careers other than those of academic mathematicians (though we see much interest and diversity within these categories as well).  

Proposals of no more than 400 words should be submitted to mathmarriages@gmail.com by 12th February 2021. Accepted talks will last around 25 minutes, to be followed by time for Q&A. The time zone of the presenter will be taken into account when scheduling. We have modest funding available to support speakers’ attendance, for example caring costs or short-term access to reliable internet. We will endeavour to make this workshop fully accessible; please contact us on mathmarriages@gmail.com if you would like any further information or to discuss accessibility requirements.

Organizers: David E. Dunning (he/him), Brigitte Stenhouse (she/her)

Sponsors: British Society for the History of Mathematics, London Mathematical Society

More information on the workshop will be appear at https://mathmarriages.wordpress.com/ as available.