The Epistolary Research Network

Literacy in Letters and Letter Writing

2-3 October 2026 Virtual

 

lit·er·acy /ˈlɪt(ə)rəsi/ ability to read and write

Oxford Concise Dictionary, cf. literacy.

 

“It might be possible to speak of different kinds of literacy, for example ‘military literacy,’

‘administrative literacy,’ or ‘literary literacy’.”

Pauline Ripat, “Literacies,” in Christian Laes, A Cultural History of Education

 in Antiquity. Bloomsbury Academic, 2020, 133.

 

Literacy is more than reading and writing. Though historically associated with the educated and the privileged, it carries varied social meanings and remains essential for many as a means of communication. Even societies we consider literate, past and present, contain those who are not – or not fully so – varying widely in their levels of proficiency and ability to engage with some forms of writing over others. Much knowledge from the recent and distant past resides in written texts, be they documents or manuscripts, a significant number of which are letters.

 

What does it mean to be “letter literate”? Traditionally, the composition of letters relies on familiarity with writing equipment and epistolary conventions in addition to being able to read and write for the purposes of mediating and maintaining personal and professional relationships. TERN2026 welcomes proposals that seek to contribute to a rich discussion around the conference theme in relation to diverse time periods, geographical locations and disciplines. Topics might include but are not limited to:

 

• use of third parties to read/write letters and their impact on relational dynamics and notions of trust

• social meanings behind spelling and grammatical mistakes in letters

• interface between letters, literacy, and empowerment or disempowerment

• letter writing and the socialisation or education of children, women, marginalized groups

• oral versus written communication, difference between delivering oral messages and written letters

• expectations held by the most literate, or placed upon them concerning letter writing

 

Abstracts of 250 words (maximum) for 20-minute papers should be sent as a DOCX or PDF document to ternetwork@hotmail.com by 16 May 2026. Both individual and panel submissions are accepted. This conference is online only.