This project investigates changing concepts of pride in 17th and 18th-century Britain and France. Pride has undergone a remarkable revolution, transforming from a vice to a virtue: from a deadly sin to a positive sense of self-worth, associated with progressive political movements and self-respect. But how and why did this transformation come about? To answer that question, the project examines pivotal times and places in the history of the concept of pride. In early modern Britain and France, new positive ideas of pride were developed, but older negative concepts were also reinvigorated. At the same time, there were upheavals in religious, scientific, and political ideas, allowing us to consider how changing ideas of pride were linked to secularisation, and to the development of democratic ideals. The research will explore the ideas of major philosophical figures, alongside lesser-known authors, and will be conducted at the University of Jyväskyla.

2025

2029