Introduction: The beat generation and Europe

The focus for this collection of essays is drawn from the Inaugural Conference of the European Beat Studies Network (EBSN), which took place at the Roosevelt Study Center in Middelburg, the Netherlands, in September 2012. The EBSN is a group that aims to bring together scholars and creative practitioners (writers, artists, musicians) from Europe and beyond who have a common interest in the Beat Generation. The network encourages scholarly and creative exchanges on all aspects of the work of the Beat Generation. It also fosters dialogue on European influences on the Beats, on Europeans influenced by Beat tropes and aesthetics, and on transnational and international approaches to the Beats and their legacy.