Recent literature on globalization processes traces the global interconnection of groups, societies and regions back to the beginning of the 19th century. Due to the increasing density of social, economic, cultural and political interactions across national borders since the 19th century, contemporaries did not necessarily perceive national or state authorities as the main point of reference for social interaction. Rather, alternative spatial frames of reference were set up – economic, social, cultural, political or legal – that transgressed national boundaries on a regional, transnational or supranational level and became numerous and significant enough to have a formative influence on actors in culture, society and economics.

The workshop gives attention to these flows of information, technology, knowledge, commodities or capital between different world regions. We will ask how state and non-state actors handled problems with a transnational reach –such as health, social policy, migration, knowledge, communication, nature, environment or the allocation of resources for example – and built subject-related regulatory regimes in the field of economy, society, culture or politics. Second, the workshop focuses on conflicts, which arose during the transnational bargaining processes regarding efforts, aims and motives of state and non-state actors to design reliable rules to control these manifold and multiplying transnational and transregional interactions. In this context, we will also explore the role of the nation state in globalization processes by asking how the various processes of nation building, the working out of international rules and institutions and the emergence of global networks outside state authorities intertwined during the 19th and early 20th century.

Third, the workshop picks up the topic of border-crossing networks as places of transcultural exchange. As the flows of information, knowledge, technologies, capital and commodities became more intense during the 19th century, the number of countries and regions outside Europe and North America dependent on these flows increased significantly. Accordingly, the workshop addresses the scope for action, these transregional connections opened up for non-Western political, economic and societal elites by contributing to the drafting and implementation of rules, norms and institutions for the regulation of these global entanglements. This way, we will emphasize the reciprocity of cultural, social, political or economic transfers and ask for the peculiarity of transcultural bargaining processes in the framework of irrevocable global flows of commodities, information, and technology, social and cultural practices.

Proposals of not more than 500 words and a curriculum vitae may be submitted electronically (Word or PDF) to the organizers (isabella.loehr@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de and wenzlhuemer@asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de) by 31 July 2009. Proposals will be evaluated and invitation will be issued by 15 August 2009 the latest. Publication of a conference volume is envisaged and will necessitate the submission of full texts by the conference date. For further inquiries, please contact the organizers.