Elections and Electoral Corruption in the Early Modern Period

International Conference: 13.-14.3.2015 For the past few years, we have observed an increased interest in elections as an object of historical research. The same applies to the research on corruption, especially on political corruption, which has led to numerous conferences and publications over the last decade. Bringing researchers from both fields together, our conference aims to fathom the field of electoral corruption in the early modern period. We invited speakers to present their research on political as well as on ecclesiastical votes. Special attention will be paid to ballots within the context of republican city states. Even though the conference focuses upon the early modern period, contributions will deal with the transition period to modernity (Sattelzeit) as well. Programm Friday, 13.03.2015 (Haus der Universität Bern) 09.00: Simona Slanička/Maud Harivel/Florian Schmitz Conference Opening Panel 1: Corruption in the Ecclesiastical Sphere Chair: Simona Slanicka (Bern) 09.15: Olivier Christin (Neuchâtel) La Simonie comme Catégorie de Description des Élections par Corruption 10.00: Bertrand Marceau (Paris) Élection et Corruption au Monastère. Le triple Scrutin de Cîteaux (1625) Coffee break (20 min) Panel 2: Elections and the Monarchy Chair: Hillard von Thiessen (Rostock) 11.00: Kateřina Pražákova (České Budějovice) The Habsburg Empire and the French Kingdom in the Struggle for the Polish Crown 11.45: Kateřina Dufková (Prag) Between the King and the Estates. Elections of the Provincial Officials in Early Modern Moravia Lunch break (Haus der Universität) Panel 3: On the road to “Modernity”? Chair: Niels Grüne (Innsbruck) 14.30: Malcolm Crook (Keele) and Tom Crook (Oxford Brooks) Contesting ‘corruption’. Electoral Morality and Practice in Britain and France, c. 1830- 1914 15.15 Nathalie Dompnier (Lyon-2) La corruption électorale face à ses juges. Justice repressive et justice restitutive en France, 1848-1958 Coffee break 17.30: Round table discussion Contemporary Elections and Electoral Corruption Ronald Kroeze (Amsterdam)/Mark Pieth (Basel)/Anca Simina (Bucharest)/ Richard Lappin (Warsaw) (Hauptgebäude der Universität Bern, room HS 120) 20.00: Dinner, Restaurant Kornhauskeller (Kornhausplatz 18, 3011 Bern) Saturday, 14.03.2015 (Haus der Universität Bern) Panel 4: Republics, Elections, Corruption Chair: Christian Windler (Bern) 09.00: Cristina Rosillo Lopez (Sevilla) The Ancient Roman Way to win Elections. Practices and Discourse of Electoral Corruption during the Late Roman Republic (2nd-1st century BCE) 09.45: Maud Harivel (Bern) Désintéresser les élections. Les mesures anti-fraudes dans la république de Venise Coffee break (20 min) Chair: Simona Slanicka (Bern) 10.45: Dorit Raines (Venice) The Formation of Advocacy Groups in the Venetian Republic, or how to avoid illicit Exchange of Favors during Elections 11.30: Danilo Pedremonte (Genoa) Seven Ballots for a Consul. The Election of Benedetto Luxoro as Genoese Consul in Marseilles (1758-1759) 14.00: Raphael Barat (Lyon-2) Les Brigues Électorales dans la République de Genève à la fin du XVIIe siècle 14.40: Florian Schmitz (Bern) Obstacle or Catalyse? Elections in the Oligarchic Process (Berne, 1500-1700) 15.20: Jean-Claude Waquet (Paris) Conference Synopsis