In April 1989, after successful
presentations on 18th century México and Spain during the Annual
Meeting of ASECS in New Orleans, Theodore E. D. Braun, at the time ASECS
Coordinator of Affiliate Societies, proposed that a new affiliate on Ibero-American
18th century studies be established. He agreed to serve as chair of the
organizing committee for such an society, and proceeded to appoint the
following persons to serve on that committee: Clara Bargellini (México),
María Agueda Méndez (México), Graciela Palau de Nemes
(USA), Eva Rudat Kahiluoto (USA), María Salgado (USA), and Pilar
Sáenz (USA).
Subsequently, he appointed the following
committee to draft a constitution: Clara Bargellini, María Agueda
Méndez, María Salgado, Pilar Sáenz, and William Bryant
(coordinator).
In August, María Salgado and
Pilar Sáenz completed the final draft of the new constitution while
at a congress of the Asociación Internacional de Hispanistas in
Barcelona. In September 1989 the draft was submitted to T.E.D. Braun for
approval. In November 1989 Braun, as Coordinator of Affiliate Societies,
proposed to the ASECS Executive Board affiliate status for the Ibero-American
Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies.
Having received approval from ASECS
for the new IASECS as an affiliate society, the charter meeting, chaired
by T.E.D. Braun, took place on 16 April 1990 during the Annual Meeting
of ASECS in Minneapolis. There the constitution was adopted and officers
were elected.
Thus IASECS was officially launched.