Scope and structure.

- The proposed book will be around 200,000 to 250,000 words in length, with each chapter around 8000 words and with about 30 contributors. The final number of contributors and the definitive length of the chapters depend on the proposals actually submitted.

- The volume will be structured thematically, analytically. Its general premise is that the Enlightenment, as a modernizing, historicizing project is implicit in the world to-day, a world governed by knowledge, created by the mind. The critical point would be: is this a vision of human progress, moral progress as the Enlightenment suggested, or does this lead to a world of unintelligible complexity? Contributions could explore, criticize, or challenge this premise in relation to the Enlightenment’s central or foundational principles; assess the potential or the limitations of the Enlightenment as much in its own self-conception as revealed subsequently; but also evaluate the concept of Enlightenment itself. The book would be structured by the following broad themes: (i) the Enlightenment’s own self-conception; (ii) philosophy; (iii) natural science and medicine; (iv) history and anthropology; (v) political and social theory, including law, gender issues; (vi) religion; (vii) culture (European and non-European; literature / art / music); (viii) the Counter-Enlightenment, anti-Enlightenment reaction.

- Potential contributors should send a 500 word outline (in English) of their proposed chapter, together with brief details of their university or other professional affiliation and a short list of publications (needed for the book proposal that will be submitted to Routledge) by email to the editor: mld@le.ac.uk or mld5499@gmail.com - by 7 October 2013