Introduction

Laura Mason is senior lecturer in history and the Program in Film and Media Studies at Johns Hopkins University. She will publish an article on the reactionary journalist Stanislas Fréron in next year’s forum and is author of the forthcoming book The Last Revolutionaries: The Trial of Gracchus Babeuf and the Equals.

The author thanks the writers of both forums for their contributions to the ongoing project of rethinking Thermidor. Thanks to Mette Harder, Colin Jones, Michael Kwass, Rebecca Spang, and Ronen Steinberg for comments on this introduction.