BOOK: Edern DE BARROS, Condillac et Mably. Deux frères théoriciens d'une démocratie tempérée [Politique de l'Esprit] (Paris: Mare & Martin, 2025), 510 p. ISBN 978-2-36222-137-8, € 45

 

(image source: Mare & Martin)

Abstract:

Condillac (1714-1780) et Mably (1709-1785) sont deux frères dont l’influence sur la Révolution française fut considérable. Figures majeures des Lumières, ils furent durablement séparés par l’historiographie depuis 1789. Condillac, associé aux Idéologues, serait le père du libéralisme français ; Mably, figure de la démocratie égalitaire, un précurseur du communisme. Cette étude déconstruit cette opposition et révèle leur républicanisme libéral commun. À la croisée du droit, de l’histoire et de la philosophie, l’ouvrage articule trois volets : une méthode empiriste fondée sur le lien entre droit naturel et histoire ; une théorie politique de la « démocratie tempérée » fondée sur la souveraineté populaire ; et une critique du « despotisme légal » des physiocrates, au nom d’une liberté économique républicaine. Appuyé sur une lecture comparée de leurs oeuvres complètes, ce livre renouvelle en profondeur notre compréhension des Lumières.

Read more with the publisher. 

VACANCIES (1 POSTDOC, 1 PHD): "History of Ethics and Law of Responding to Suffering" (Virpi MÄKINEN) University of Helsinki/Faculty of Theology (DEADLINE 17 DEC 2025)

(image source: Helsinki University)

The Research Council of Finland funded centre of excellence in Meliorist Philosophy of Suffering (leader: Sami Pihlström) announces fixed-term employment (doctoral researcher and postdoctoral researcher) in legal history/history of ethics.

The positions are placed in the work package "History of Ethics and Law of Responding to Suffering", lead by Virpi Mäkinen (University of Helsinki).

For more information, please see:

Doctoral researcher: https://jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4561/

Postdoctoral researcher: https://jobs.helsinki.fi/job-invite/4565/

BOOK: Mark Philip BRADLEY (eds.), The Cambridge History of America and the world (Cambridge: CUP, 2022 [paperback 2025]), ISBN 9781108419208

(image source: CUP)

Abstract:

The Cambridge History of America and the World offers a transformative account of American engagement in the world from 1500 to the present. Representing a new scholarship informed by the transnational turn in the writing of US history and American foreign relations, the four-volume reference work gives sustained attention to key moments in US diplomacy, from the Revolutionary War and the Monroe Doctrine to the US rise as a world power in World War I, World War II and the Cold War. The volumes also cast a more inclusive scholarly net to include transnational histories of Native America, the Atlantic world, slavery, political economy, borderlands, empire, the family, gender and sexuality, race, technology, and the environment. Collectively, they offer essential starting points for readers coming to the field for the first time and serve as a critical vehicle for moving this scholarship forward in innovative new directions. 

Contents:

Table of Contents Volume I. 1500–1820 Edited by Eliga Gould, Paul Mapp and Carla Gardina Pestana Volume II. 1820–1900 Edited by Kristin Hoganson and Jay Sexton Volume III. 1900–1945 Edited by Brooke L. Blower and Andrew Preston Volume IV. 1945 to the Present Edited by David Engerman and Max Paul Friedman. 

On the editors:

Mark Philip Bradley is the Bernadotte E. Schmitt Distinguished Service Professor of History at the University of Chicago. He is the author of The World Reimagined: Americans and Human Rights in the Twentieth Century, Vietnam at War, and Imagining Vietnam and America: The Making of Postcolonial Vietnam. He is recipient of fellowships from the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation, the American Council of Learned Societies, and the National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Read more here. 

BOOK: Marjoleine KARS, Michael A. MCDONNEL & Andrew M. SCHOCKET (eds.), The Cambridge History of the American Revolution (Cambridge: CUP, 2025), 3 vol. ISBN 9781108496629, 400 USD

 

(image source: CUP)

Abstract:

Those interested in the American Revolution-whether it be history buffs, undergraduates, teachers, or specialists-will find this collection provocative, informative and educational. Featuring almost ninety chapters by renowned and upcoming scholars, this three-volume collection considers the astonishing diversity of Revolutionary experiences: from silk-wearing legislators to starving Senecas, enslaved tobacco pickers to enraged tenant farmers, free black soldiers to struggling white seamstresses, mobile Tuscarora families to ambivalent sailors, and radical scribblers to reactionary preachers. It will cover the Revolution's earliest roots to its full fruit. In addition to important broad, topical essays, the volumes spotlight shorter yet innovative “viewpoints” that reveal the Revolution's drama on a human scale, telling the compelling stories of individuals, families, events, and objects. Accessible and authoritative, The Cambridge History of the American Revolution will be the chief reference text on the American Revolution for years to come.

 Table of contents:

Volume I. Revolutionary Contexts Volume II. Revolution Volume III. Continuities, Changes, and Legacies.

 On the editors:

Marjoleine Kars , Massachusetts Institute of Technology Marjoleine Kars is a Senior Scholar at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), and Professor Emerita at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County. She is the author of Breaking Loose Together: The Regulator Rebellion in Pre-Revolutionary North Carolina (2003) and Blood on the River: A Chronicle of Mutiny and Freedom on the Wild Coast (2022). Her work has won numerous prizes, including the Cundill History Prize and the Frederick Douglass Book Prize. Michael A. McDonnell , University of Sydney Michael A. McDonnell is Professor of History at the University of Sydney. He is the author of two prize-winning books, Masters of Empire: Great Lakes Indians and the Making of America (2024) and The Politics of War: Race, Class, and Conflict in Revolutionary Virginia (2012). He has served as a Distinguished Lecturer for the Organization of American Historians (OAH). Andrew M. Schocket , Bowling Green State University Andrew M. Schocket is Professor of History and American Culture Studies at Bowling Green State University. He is the author of Founding Corporate Power in Early National Philadelphia (2007) and Fighting over Founders: How We Remember the American Revolution (2015). He is co-director of the Magazine of Early American Datasets.

Read more here. 

CALL: Positions on the Editorial Board (Comparative Legal History; DEADLINE 15 JAN 2026)

 

 

Journal Comparative Legal History

 

Call for Positions on the Editorial Board

 

Deadline: 15 January 2026

 

 

The European Society for Comparative Legal History (ESCLH) is seeking applications for positions on the editorial board of its flagship journal, Comparative Legal History, including at least an articles editor and a reviews editor.

 

Evidence of scholarly ability, experience in editing or a willingness to learn quickly, willingness to contribute to journal projects beyond the narrow scope of the job title, and membership (or a commitment to become a member if appointed) of the ESCLH are requirements. Full training in the journal’s processes will be provided as needed.

 

You would contribute to the advancement of comparative legal history as part of a warm, supportive, and dedicated team.

 

The journal is an official academic forum of the ESCLH. It was first published in 2013 and aims to offer a space for the development of comparative legal history. The journal welcomes contributions that explore law in different times and jurisdictions from across the globe.

 

Applications, indicating to which position/s is being applied, with a brief cover letter and short CV (no more than 4 pages) should be sent to Luisa Brunori (Vice-President of the ESCLH), at luisa.brunori@ens.psl.eu, by 15 January 2026.

 

The ESCLH particularly welcomes applications from people underrepresented in academia generally, and in the ESCLH and the journal particularly.

 

These positions are not paid.

 

SEMINAR: Catherine VOLPILHAC-AUGER, "Montesquieu et les "exilés"" (Séminaire Parlement(s) et cours souveraines, 12 DEC) [HYBRID]

 

(image source: Parlementdeparis dot hypotheses)

Séminaire Parlement(s) et cours souveraines

La prochaine séance du séminaire “Parlement(s) et cours souveraines”  aura lieu :

                                      Vendredi 12 décembre 2025 (16h30-18h30)

Catherine VOLPILHAC-AUGER (ENS Lyon, IHRIM, UMR 5317), « La grande crise de 1753 : Montesquieu et les parlementaires exilés à Bourges  ».

Répondant : Thibault BARBIEUX ( Université Versailles -Saint Quentin)

Le séminaire se tiendra dans les locaux de l’Institut d’Histoire du Droit-Jean Gaudemet (salle Administration ou salle Collinet, selon la disponibilité), 4 rue Valette, 75005 Paris, esc. de gauche sous le hall, 3e étage.

Voici le lien de connexion ZOOM pour toutes les personnes qui ne pourraient pas se déplacer à l’Institut, sachant que nous vous remercions, lorsque vous le pouvez bien sûr, de privilégier la présence dans nos locaux.

Participer à la réunion Zoom

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83968347357?pwd=z1uP60q7oK5ekpzbYAEmqnF8M5Wtzk.1

ID de réunion: 839 6834 7357

Code secret: 35560

(source: Parlementdeparis)

SERIES: Émigrés européens - des récits oubliés/Auswandern! Deutsche Schicksale aus drei Jahrhunderten (arte.tv)

 

(image source: arte)

Arte devotes a series of three episodes to migration, including the legal aspects.

Abstract (French):

C’est l’histoire de l’une des plus grandes migrations européennes. Celle de gens fuyant la misère ou les persécutions et espérant une vie meilleure. Ils vont descendre les fleuves du Rhin et du Danube, du XVIIe siècle jusqu'au lendemain de la première guerre mondiale, et vont peupler des contrées en Amérique, dans l’Est de l’Europe, en Russie et sur le continent africain.

Abstract (German):

Deutsche Auswanderer haben – im Guten wie im Schlechten – die Welt geprägt. Was 1618, zu Beginn des 30-jährigen Krieges am Rhein begann, wird zur Geschichte einer Migration über drei Jahrhunderte und vier Kontinente. Millionen Deutschsprachige flohen vor Verfolgung, Hunger und Kälte, suchten in der Ferne ein besseres Leben – und wurden dabei oft zu Spielbällen im Machtkampf um neue Territorien. Eine Geschichte von Hoffnung, Flucht und Neuanfang.

Watch all episodes for free here. 

INTERVIEW: François WAQUET, "Le droit romain à l’origine de la légitimité politique occidentale" (Paris: Collège de France)

 

(image source: Collège de France)

Introduction:

Comment les monarques européens ont-ils légitimé leur pouvoir pendant des siècles ? Au cœur de cette question se trouve un héritage souvent méconnu, mais décisif, celui du droit romain. Bien après la chute de l’Empire romain, cette tradition juridique a servi de socle intellectuel et institutionnel aux monarchies européennes. Elle a fourni des outils de gouvernement et une rhétorique de légitimation qui ont traversé les âges jusqu’à constituer les fondements de notre système politique contemporain. Rencontre avec François Waquet*, historien du droit romain au Collège de France.

On the interviewee:

François Waquet est chercheur en histoire du droit romain sur la chaire Droit, culture et société de la Rome antique du Pr Dario Mantovani.

Read the full interview here. 

VACANCY: University assistant predoctoral [Chair for Globalisation and Legal Pluralism, Department of Legal and Constitutional History] (Wien: Universität Wien, DEADLINE 21 DEC 2025)

 

(image source: Uni Wien)

The University of Vienna is a community of almost 11,000 individuals, including approximately 7,700 academic staff members, who passionately pursue answers to the profound questions that shape our future. They represent individuals driven by curiosity and a relentless pursuit of excellence. With us, they find the space to try things out and unfold their potential. Are you inspired by their passion and determination? We are currently seeking a/an

 

University assistant predoctoral 

34 Faculty of Law  

Job vacancy starting: 01.01.2026 | Working hours:  30,00  | Classification CBA: §48 VwGr. B1 Grundstufe (praedoc) 

Limited contract until: 31.12.2029

Job ID: 4931

There are many good reasons to become involved in research and teaching at the University of Vienna. One reason in particular why some 7,700 academics have joined this university is that they thrive on curiosity and continuous exploration in their quest for scientific achievement. Do you feel the same? Then join our team!

Your future position:

As a predoc university assistant, you will join the team of Prof. Dr. Lena Foljanty, Chair for Globalisation and Legal Pluralism, at the Department of Legal and Constitutional History. The chair’s research deals with globalisation processes in law from a historical perspective. We are particularly interested in PhD projects on colonial and decolonial processes, colonial epistemologies, transculturality, and critical examinations of Eurocentric historiography. Projects that bridge the gap between historical and current challenges are also welcome, provided that they include a legal history aspect.

The duration of employment is 4 years. Initially limited to 1.5 years, the employment contract is automatically extended to 4 years if the employer does not terminate it within the first 12 months by submitting a non-extension declaration.

Your future tasks:

You will be actively involved in research, teaching and administration, which means:

• You will be involved in research and publication projects.
• We expect you to conclude your dissertation agreement within 12-18 months.
• You will work on your dissertation and its completion.
• You will hold courses independently in accordance with the provisions of the collective bargaining agreement.
• You will take on administrative tasks in research and teaching.

Your profile:

• Completed Master's degree or diploma in law or in a neighbouring discipline, e.g. history, social sciences, cultural and social anthropology (or equivalent qualification)
• Excellent command of English and/or German, ability to express yourself well in writing and speaking
• Knowledge of further languages for research on intercultural topics would be an advantage.
• You must be able to contribute to the chair's research and the department's teaching obligations.
• You should be a team player with good social and communication skills.
• IT user skills (MS Office, Moodle, Zoom)
• Preferably basic experience in teaching and in academic writing and research methods, as well as familiarity with the processes and structures of a university

What we offer:

Work-life balance: You will have flexible working hours and can work from home part of the time. 

Inspiring working atmosphere: You will be part of an international team in a casual working environment.

Good public transport connections: Your workplace is easily accessible by public transport.

Internal further training: We provide opportunities to continually expand and develop your skills.

Fair salary: The basic salary of EUR 3,714,80 (for full-time work) increases if you have relevant prior work experience.

Equal opportunities for all: We welcome every new personality to the team!

 

How to apply:

• With your academic CV/letter of intent
• With a summary of your research interests/PhD project proposal (max. 2 p.)
• Certificate of completion of your Master's degree/Diploma
• Proof of further qualifications where appropriate
• Via our job portal/Apply now button

 

If you have any questions, please contact:

Lena Foljanty  

lena.foljanty@univie.ac.at

 

We look forward to new personalities in our team! 
The University of Vienna has an anti-discriminatory employment policy and attaches great importance to equal opportunities, the advancement of women and diversity. We place particular emphasis on enhancing women’s representation among the academic and general university staff, particularly in leadership roles, and therefore expressly encourage qualified women to apply. Given equal qualifications, preference will be given to female candidates.

 

University of Vienna. Space for personalities. Since 1365.

 

Application deadline: 21.12.2025

(more information here)