Historical research has in recent years begun to study the transformation and reshaping of political representation across the 20th century in the context of international organisations and European integration. The political history of high-level state representatives interacting at the international and European levels has so far been fairly well researched. By contrast, the social, cultural and transnational history of groups of actors such as diplomats, civil servants and politicians – historically seen as the classical state representatives – is still in its infancy.
The conference aims, firstly, to bring together doctoral students and senior researchers exploring the social, cultural and transnational histories of core actors and groups in political representation in the context of the establishment and development of international organisations and European integration during the 20th century.
A wide range of approaches can help fill the lacuna of research such as prosopographical social profiling, transnational network formations, biographical studies, as well as studies on organisational changes relating to such changing forms of political representation, and on the social and cultural life that also became associated with political representation in the context of international organisations and European integration processes.
The conference aims, secondly, to facilitate discussion between doctoral students and senior researchers about new findings as well as strategies in research design and methodologies, theoretical and conceptual questions relating to the historical study of change in political representation, and on (inter-)disciplinary inspiration.
Confirmed speakers are:
- Rebecca Adler-Nissen (Copenhagen) on the study of diplomats.
- Didier Georgakakis (Strasbourg) on the study of civil servants and Europrofessionals.
- Jürgen Mittag (Cologne) on the study of parliamentarians and transnational and social-political history.
All papers will be discussed extensively by senior and junior researchers.
Applications from interested doctoral students should be sent to Marianne Hoffmeister at mho@adm.au.dk and include the following:
1) a paper proposal of maximum 600 words including a specification on how this fits into your overall doctoral project and
2) a declaration from your principal supervisor stating the relevance of the conference for your project.
The deadline for submission of paper proposals is 21 October 2012. Successful applicants will be informed by 25 October 2012, and will be expected to deliver their final papers (up to 25 pages) by 14 December 2012 to Marianne Hoffmeister (mho@adm.au.dk).
3 ECTS credits can be issued for satisfactory participation by the Graduate School of Arts, Aarhus University. The organisers will cover the costs of two nights of accommodation and meals at the conference facility of Aarhus University, which is located at the beautiful estate of Sandbjerg Gods (www.sandbjerg.dk). The workshop participants will have to cover the costs for transportation themselves, but the organisers will to the extent possible assist with transportation to and from the airports of Tirstrup (AAR), Billund (BLL) and Sønderborg (SGD) (transfers from Copenhagen (CPH) only), and the train station of Sønderborg.
The conference is jointly organised by the research project ”Institutions of Democracy in Transition. Transnational Fields in Politics, Administration and Law in Denmark and Western Europe after 1945”, and the Ph.D.-programme for History, Archaeology and Antique Studies Aarhus University.
Enquiries can be made to the organisers: associate professors Ann-Christina L. Knudsen (alknudsen@hum.au.dk) and Karen Gram-Skjoldager (hiskgs@hum.au.dk), both at Aarhus University, to Kristine Midtgaard, University of Southern Denmark (kmidgaard@hist.sdu.dk), or to doctoral candidate Christian Salm (University of Portsmouth/Aarhus University) (Christian.Salm@port.ac.uk).