"The Ladies' Diary: Society, Gender and Mathematics in early 18th-c. England" ... fifteen years on

Time: 6:00 p. m. to 8:00 p.m.

Location: Saint Augustine Center, Room 300, Villanova University

We begin with conversation and a light supper (donation: $10.00). When the discussion lags, about 6:30 to 6:45, Shelley Costa of Swarthmore College and West Chester University will speak on:

"The Ladies' Diary: Society, Gender and Mathematics in early 18th-c. England” ... fifteen years on

Abstract:

Some of you may be familiar with my work on the Ladies' Diary, an 18th- and 19th-c. British annual periodical that contained advanced mathematical problems (see esp. Osiris, 2002). Most of the research contained in my PhD dissertation (Cornell Univ., 2000) has remained unpublished. In this talk I will outline the historical perspectives that informed my approach to this material and report on my present experience of newly revising it for publication nearly 15 years on.

From Anne’s reign to Victoria’s, the Ladies’ Diary or Woman’s Almanack hosted an annual mathematical exchange among an enthusiastic readership of men and women. In the dissertation I analyze the social structures that shaped the Diary’s first fifty years, including a feverishly consumerist print culture, genteel expectations of femininity, and the mathematization of early industrial technology.

Directions: Villanova University is located on route 30, Lancaster Avenue, just east of I-476. If you drive to the meeting, enter Villanova by the main gate on Ithan Avenue, just north of Lancaster Avenue (route 30), opposite the Pavilion. Tell the guard you are attending the History of Mathematics Seminar. Ask for directions either to the Mendel Lot, where there is limited parking around the greenhouse, or to the St. Augustine lot. From the Mendel Lot, pass under the arch of Mendel Hall and turn left, follow the sidewalk with Mendel Hall on your left. The next building on your left is the Saint Augustine Center. Enter the building, proceed to the rear and take the elevator to the third floor. Exit to the right, then turn left; Room 300 is directly on the opposite side of the building. From the St. Augustine Lot enter the Center via the doorway at the end of the lot. Turn right and follow the hallway to the elevators; take the elevator to the third floor. Follow the directions to Room 300 as above. You can get in touch with me (Alan Gluchoff) at 610-905-1376 if you need help.

Public transportation: Take SEPTA's Paoli - Thorndale train to the Villanova station. If outbound from center city go down through the tunnel to the inbound side. From the inbound platform a few steps lead to the Mendel parking lot. Proceed as above to Saint Augustine 300.