Cleo O’Callaghan Yeoman and Yu-Hung Tien begin this new series on the BARS blog which aims to shine a spotlight on the work being done by postgraduates and early career researchers in Romanticism Studies.
In May 2022, we (Cleo O’Callaghan Yeoman and Yu-Hung Tien) were delighted to take up the role
of Postgraduate Representatives (PGR Rep) for the British Association of Romantic Studies (BARS),
and to join the BARS Executive. Since stepping into these roles, the central value that we have held is
to congregate, and most importantly, to support postgraduate and early career researchers (ECR) from
different professional and cultural backgrounds within the BARS community. This goal is expected to
be fulfilled through the diverse events that we have been planning to run throughout our tenure.
Among them, the next BARS Postgraduate and Early Career Researcher conference, titled Romantic
Boundaries, to be held at the University of Edinburgh, 15th-16th June 2023, has forged the primary
focus for our first year.
Alongside a great pleasure to exchange the fruitful academic paths that both of us have gone through,
our first responsibility was to confirm the venue, dates, and theme of the conference. Something that
was especially nice to find out upon accepting the role of PGR Rep was that both of us had suggested
the same city for the conference in our applications (Cleo completed both her undergraduate and
Master’s degrees at the University of Edinburgh, whilst Yu-Hung is now commencing his PhD there,
making it an obvious choice). We were also keen to make the most of Edinburgh’s rich literary
history, both as an epicentre for print culture in Scotland during the Romantic period, and as the
world’s first UNESCO City of Literature today.
As for the theme, we kept this intentionally broad so as not to exclude anyone within the BARS PGR
and ECR community. It occurred to us during our discussions that the theme of boundaries, in
addition to lending itself conceptually to multiple disciplines, also lends itself especially well to our
post-lockdown landscape. It almost goes without saying at this point, but the past few years have
obviously been ones in which we have all been forced to contend with a variety of boundaries in
different ways. During the peak of the pandemic we were united in our being limited by them; since
then, some of us have had to learn how to transcend these boundaries again, whilst for others they
have necessarily remained in place for a time. Outwith the Covid context, moreover, boundaries are
something many of us encounter in daily life, a lot of which are often invisible, and yet their presence
is felt strongly. The combination of all of these factors meant that the theme of Romantic Boundaries
felt timely, but also one that we might consider self-consciously, in what we hope will prove
formative ways.
In the following sections, both of us will briefly introduce ourselves, and provide our personal
reflections on this role.
Hello! My name is Cleo O’Callaghan Yeoman and I am a second year, SGSAH AHRC-funded PhD
student at the University of Stirling, supervised by Professor Katie Halsey, Dr Gerard McKeever
(University of Edinburgh), and Professor Matthew Sangster (University of Glasgow). My research
centres on analysing the relationships between novel reading and ‘improvement’ in early nineteenth-
century Scotland, with specific focus on the novels of Scottish authors Mary Brunton, Susan Ferrier,
John Galt, Elizabeth Hamilton, James Hogg, and Walter Scott.
For me, the best thing about the BARS PGR Rep role so far has been the opportunity that it provides
to respond proactively to the needs of PGRs and ECRs working within the field of Romanticism
today. The role is, in this sense, a great privilege but also quite a responsibility. It has also enabled us
to be involved in putting together some exciting collaborations, which we are looking forward to
sharing soon! The other valuable aspect I have taken from the role so far is the breadth of skills that it
provides and, indeed, demands. In some cases, this involves building on an already existent set of
skills – communicating with different people, working to concurrent deadlines, prioritising multiple
tasks across multiple projects, and so on – but in others the role has provided an opportunity to
cultivate new skills: building a website, managing larger-scale budgets, liaising with catering and
finance departments, to name a few. In all respects, the role has been exceptionally rewarding and I
remain very grateful to BARS for this opportunity. We would also like to thank Dr Amanda Blake
Davis (BARS ECR Representative) for all of her very generous help and support in organising
Romantic Boundaries thus far.
Hey! I am Yu-Hung Tien. I have completed an undergraduate degree back in my home city Taipei,
Taiwan, and a Master’s degree in Durham, UK. Earlier this year, I just started a PhD at the University
of Edinburgh, working with Dr Andrew Taylor and Dr Lee Spinks. Regarding my research interests, I
have, ever since my undergraduate years, developed a strong fascination with Romanticism,
especially with the English Romantic poet John Keats. Developing from this ensuing passion, my
doctoral project primarily looks at the literary afterlives of Keats from a dynamic transatlantic
perspective, with a particular focus on his poetic legacies in Emily Dickinson, Wallace Stevens and F.
Scoot Fitzgerald.
For me, Romanticism is a discipline to congregate, rather than to segregate, to quote from
Wordsworth, ‘the heart that loved her’. This very spirit which Romanticism holds invites me to delve
into the appreciation of its enduring legacies, forged into an initiative for me to join the BARS, and
turning into a philosophy of mine which I aim to continue to promote throughout my academic career.
Before taking on the role of BARS PGR Rep, I was worried. However strong my enthusiasm for
Romanticism manifesting itself over the past years, due to the rather distinctive cultural and
educational backgrounds of mine, I was anxious about the contributions that I could potentially make
to the society. Yet, my collaborations with all the BARS board members, especially with my
supportive colleagues Cleo and Amanda have so far alleviated all my previous anxieties, reforming
them into a stronger passion and ambition for me to continue. Everyone who participates in this
community, which I would say can be seen as a miniature of the wider network of Romanticism,
learn, grow, and thrive together. Our “love” for Romantic writing, or even for literature more broadly
speaking, would help us to dissolve the spatial boundaries, and social constraints, to name a few,
imposed upon us by the outside world. This now becomes my belief, and I am sure, it will always be.
Romantic Boundaries will take place in June next year. You can follow us on Twitter @BARS_PGs,
or visit our conference website here. Please do also email us with any opportunities or suggestions
you would like us to consider/make possible for BARS PGRs and ECRs!