Gothenburg, 20th-23rd April 2022

The ESSHC is a biennial conference that brings together historians and other scholars from across the world who are interested in studying the past using the methods of the social sciences in a broad sense. The programme is organised around Networks, each of which organises panel sessions (including collaborative sessions with other networks): some of these are period-based, some based on geographical area, and some focused on themes or methods. You can find further information about the ESSHC on its web page, https://esshc.iisg.amsterdam.

The ESSHC has had an Antiquity network since its inception; this has become the main regular forum for discussions of ancient economic and social history and methodological issues, an opportunity to meet scholars from other countries as well as to see what’s happening in other periods and other fields. The network is currently co-chaired by Neville Morley (Exeter: n.d.g.morley@exeter.ac.uk) and Arjan Zuiderhoek (Ghent: andriesjohan.zuiderhoek@ugent.be).

We now invite proposals for panel sessions and individual papers for the next meeting of the ESSHC, in Gothenburg in April 2022. Panel sessions last two hours, and generally involve four (sometimes three) papers on a specific theme, with a chair, and with or without a discussant (who may also be the chair). Ideally, panel contributors should come from a mix of countries, and certainly a mix of universities, and should involve a balance of genders and of senior and junior scholars – but there is no requirement that the organiser of a session should be senior. The language of the conference is English.

We are particularly interested in proposals for inter-disciplinary and comparative panels; it is possible for suitable panels to be cross-listed with other networks, broadening the potential audience beyond specialists in antiquity. We also welcome proposals for different sorts of sessions, such as round table discussions of key recent books or of important themes. We will be happy to discuss any ideas you wish to put forward; the earlier you contact us, the more advice we’ll be able to offer.

There is also scope for proposing an individual paper, of roughly 20 minutes, on a relevant theme; we generally have at least two sessions that are put together from individual submissions. We do try to ensure that these sessions also have some degree of intellectual coherence, by putting together papers with common thematic or methodological concerns; our primary concern in evaluating submissions is academic quality, but a secondary consideration is whether they will fit well with the rest of the programme. Again, the sooner you contact us to discuss your ideas, the better; we may be able to offer you advice on how to frame your proposal to increase its chances of success, or to help you choose an approach.

Proposals for both panel sessions and individual papers need to be submitted via the ESSHC website using their online pre-registration form by 15th May 2021 in order to be considered, even if you have been discussing the idea with us. Panel organisers need to submit an overall proposal for the session, including the names and paper titles of all participants, and also to ensure that all participants have individually sent in their abstracts and pre-registered by the deadline, with an indication of the name of the panel session to which their paper belongs.

Once again, please do get in touch with one or both of us if you would like to discuss proposing a paper or panel.

Website: https://esshc.iisg.amsterdam

Arjan (andriesjohan.zuiderhoek@ugent.be) & Neville (n.d.g.morley@exeter.ac.uk)