This symposium situates the first socialisms of the nineteenth century in their historical context and examines them as a formative phase of modern social thought, alternative forms of living, and political practice. It focuses on community ideals, political imaginaries, and forms of “practical socialism,” integrating perspectives on gender, coloniality, ecology, and non-canonical actors. Bringing together established scholars and researchers engaged in new and ongoing projects, the symposium provides a critical assessment of current research and identifies new fields of inquiry.
Revisiting the First Socialisms: Histories, Debates, and Contemporary Resonances
This symposium examines early nineteenth-century socialist formations and their role in shaping modern social and political thought. It focuses on community ideals, political semantics, and forms of “practical socialism” as lived experiments. The event seeks to overcome traditional oppositions such as “utopian” versus “practical” socialism by integrating perspectives on gender, coloniality, ecology, and non-canonical actors. It combines approaches from global history, "histoire croisée", and the history of knowledge to analyze the circulation, translation, and transformation of socialist ideas and practices across social, cultural, and political contexts.
Bringing together established scholars who have shaped the field over decades with researchers engaged in new and ongoing projects, the symposium promotes international and intergenerational exchange and offers a critical assessment of current research. At the same time, it strengthens the institutional presence of early socialism studies in Germany. Overall, the conference highlights the vitality of nineteenth-century socialist traditions and their continuing relevance for historical research across national historiographical traditions.
Programme
Thursday, 2 April 2026
14:00–14:30 Anne Kwaschik (Konstanz) / Michel Lallement (Paris): Welcome and Opening Remarks
Panel 1 – Conceptual Approaches to the First Socialisms
Chair: Michel Lallement (Paris)
14:30–15:05 Thomas Bouchet (Dijon): La question de l’échec dans l’histoire et l’historiographie des premiers socialismes
15:05–15:40 Pam Pilbeam (London): Early Socialism Transformed
15:40–16:15 Anne Kwaschik (Konstanz): Colonialism and the First Socialisms. Entanglements and Tensions
16:15–16:35 Coffee Break
Panel 2 – Gender and Social Order
Chair: Anne Kwaschik (Konstanz)
16:35–17:10 Ophélie Siméon (Paris): Before the 'first wave'. Utopian socialism and early feminist networks (1800–1848)
17:10–17:45 Caroline Fayolle (Montpellier): Lectures féministes de l’utopie socialiste de l’Association (1830–1840)
17:45–18:20 Caroline Arni (Basel): The nature and politics of maternity in Saint-Simonian feminism
20:00 Conference Dinner
Friday, 3 April 2026
Panel 3 – Practical Socialisms: Range and Resonances
Chair: Christoph Streb (Paris)
Panel 3a – Community and Belief
09:30–10:05 Damien Rousselière (Rennes): What do utopian socialist boards really do? A quantitative analysis of meeting minutes from the Icarian Community of Corning (1860–1884)
10:05–10:40 Susanne Lachenicht (Bayreuth): Community and communalism in 18th century evangelical missions
10:40–10:55 Break
Panel 3b – Work and Institutions
10:55–11:30 Michel Lallement (CNAM, Lise-CNRS, Paris): The Labor Exchange Movement in practice. Lessons from modern times for the modern times
11:30–12:05 Nathalie Brémand (Poitiers/Paris): Les premiers socialistes français et le débat sur le travail en prison (1830–1852)
12:05–13:15 Lunch Buffet
Panel 4 – Semantics and Political Imaginaries
Chair: Ophélie Siméon (Paris)
13:15–13:50 Bruno Leipold (London): Politik und Sozialismus / La Politique et le Socialisme. Reflections on Karl Grün, Otto Lüning and George Sand
13:50–14:25 Ludovic Frobert (Lyon): Un socialisme avant le socialisme: à travers les carnets d’un tailleur lyonnais, Jean Claude Romand (1798–1867)
14:25–14:45 Coffee Break
Panel 5 – Eco-Utopian Horizons
Chair: Anne Kwaschik (Konstanz)
14:45–15:20 Gregory Claeys (London): Early socialism and the environmental crisis
15:20–15:55 Milo Probst (Basel): « Faire du neuf avec de l’ancien ». Historiciser la pensée écologique des socialismes du XIXe siècle
From 16:00 Excursion & Dinner
Saturday, 4 April 2026
09:30–10:30 Final roundtable discussion & publication project
Anne Kwaschik, anne.kwaschik@uni-konstanz.de