Virtual Research Group : Different constructions of the polity and commonwealth

The pilot Virtual Research Group currently brings together 20 scholars from 14 UK institutions. It was launched at a workshop in September 2006 and since November it has met in regular research seminars using Access Grid.

The working title of the research project is Different constructions of the polity and commonwealth. Our have focused on exploring the diverse meanings of Commonwealth (and other related terms). The activities are envisaged as a pilot for a larger enterprise to explore different Constructions of the Early Modern Polity.

The Access Grid seminars are supported by the Sakai Collaborative Environment. Well-established communication tools - Discussion, Announcements, email Archive - have been used effectively. However, the key area of interest and innovation has been in the Sakai wiki which has been used as a useful interface for document sharing and as a tool for the pooling of sources, quotations, discursive analysis as well as collaborative authorship.

More information and an insight into the research can be obtained from the public wiki pages.

Discussion piece on Discourse, Concepts and Practice

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