The spatial turn in the humanities and cultural studies has come of age. For more than two decades, researchers have been studying geographical aspects of the past. The history of geography is no longer a purely disciplinary history, but has developed further in the broad field of the history of science and knowledge. Today, historians and researchers in the context of historical cultural studies also work with spatial concepts and perspectives. They increasingly consider the history of geography with its various differentiations in the context of science, schools, geographical societies, publishing houses and journals. Actors, practices and objects of geographical knowledge at the intersection of science, politics and society come into focus. This encompasses reasearch questions concerning the production, utilisation and reception of texts, images and maps as spatial media. Additionally, it pertains to the global and transnational dimension of geographical action in (post-)colonial and imperial contexts. These circumstances offer the opportunity to develop diverse theoretical, conceptual and methodological connections for international and interdisciplinary discussions.
Driven by this open curiosity for a revival of disciplinary and interdisciplinary exchange in the history of geography, the Working Group on the History of Geography of the German Geographical Society (DGfG) invites you to a two-day conference at the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn on 28 and 29 June 2024.
The Working Group is an open network for research perspectives on the history of geography in German-speaking countries and beyond. It has fostered longstanding connections with colleagues in the international academic community for several decades. The conference facilitates discussions regarding recently concluded, ongoing, and prospective research projects concerning the history of geography and its associated subjects.
We would like to keep the thematic focus open and offer three different formats for participation:
- Format A: Keynote speeches of 5 minutes duration, which focus on innovative theoretical, conceptual and methodological approaches to the history of geography. The keynotes will then be discussed in detail in the plenary session.
- Format B: For researchers in the qualification phase, we offer the possibility of mentoring for newcomers. The 5-minute keynote presentations are based on a 5-7 page thesis paper submitted at least 1 week before the conference. The paper will then be commented on during the conference by an experienced researcher in the field of the history of geography and discussed in plenary.
- Format C: General presentations on recently completed, ongoing or planned future projects (15 minutes), followed by a short discussion in the subsequent plenary session
Please indicate your preferred format (A, B or C) and send your abstract (approx. 250 words) to Tobit Nauheim (nauheim@uni-bonn.de) by 29 February 2024 at the latest.