Peter J. Koehler’s 'The Life of Philippe Fermin: Nature, Medicine and Law in Suriname and the Netherlands', published in the 'Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment' series, revives a figure long neglected by historians of medicine and the Republic of Letters. In this blog post, Professor Laurence Brockliss reflects on how Koehler’s study reshapes our understanding of that network and on the value of broadening the historical narrative to include forgotten voices.

'Voltaire and the Sirven affair (1762-1772)' by John Renwick has recently been published in the Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment series. In this blog post, Renwick highlights the key arguments from his new book, re-evaluating Voltaire’s involvement and showing that, unlike the famous Calas affair, his role in the Sirvens’ eventual exoneration was limited.

'Mexican Jesuits write the history of the Americas' by Luis Ramos has recently been published in the Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment series. In this blog post, Ramos reflects on his research and explains how the book uncovers the transformative role that eighteenth-century Mexican Jesuits played in reshaping European intellectual life.

This blog post revisits 'Cultural Transmission and the French Enlightenment', recently published in the Oxford University Studies in the Enlightenment series. The editors offer fresh reflections on the essays in the volume and consider their relevance to the current political and cultural climate.