This conference, which is hosted at the University of Cambridge, aims to bring together young graduate historians from across Europe and from a variety of disciplines to discuss the relationship between history and media in its broadest sense.
'… the rise of millions of fragmented discussions across the world tend instead to lead to fragmentation of audiences into isolated publics'. So tweeted '@jhabermas' on 29th January 2010. Amidst the usual communiqués of the Twittersphere lay this piece of philosophical gold. Not only had the interactive media of 'Web 2.0' led this esteemed theorist to transform his ideas about the nature of communication in capitalist society – but it had also radically altered the way in which he delivered his message. Having previously aimed layers of obscure prose at a small group of similarly inclined academics, Habermas now offered 140-character nuggets of wisdom to an audience of over 500 million users.
Unfortunately, it was soon revealed that Habermas’ Twitter handle was in fact a fake, and that these lines were lifted from an essay he had written in 2006. Still, the cyber-prank was instructive. It forces us to ask the question: how has the relationship between historical practice and 'the media' altered in recent years?
This conference, which is hosted at the University of Cambridge, aims to bring together young graduate historians from across Europe and from a variety of disciplines to discuss the relationship between history and media in its broadest sense.
We welcome insights into the historical role of the media, the nature of popular perceptions of on-going research, and also more conceptual reflections on how new technologies and knowledge practices have shaped the way in which we operate as historical practitioners and consumers now.
The aim of the conference is for graduates to gain a deeper understanding of the public and popular implications of their research, in both historical and contemporary settings.
- What has been the historical role of the media, as well as the media’s role in communicating history, and how has it changed in recent years?
- How has the emergence of new media altered the public perception and appreciation of history? Is Twitter, for example, a useful tool for historians; and, if so, how should history be told in a tweeting world? Is the practice of history being undermined by our addiction to the instantaneous?
- Have new and digital media brought about a reconceptualization of the role of the media within history? Can we map new ways in which historical agents are being influenced by these medias?
- How has the rise of television history influenced our discipline? Do 'media dons' endanger historical nuance or enable historical engagement?
- To what extent has the availability of new sources through the internet revolutionised our research practices? And what impact will this have upon future archival research?
- Does the relationship between historical practice and participatory media hold any outcomes for public policy making? Has it drastically changed our political culture?
Papers of 4,000-5,000 words will be pre-circulated, with presentations limited to 15 minutes. Discussion between contributors will follow, with comment provided from senior figures within the University of Cambridge. The Chairman of the History Faculty, Professor David Reynolds, will be delivering a keynote speech to commence proceedings. We invite interested participants to submit a preliminary title and abstract of no more than 400 words to historyandthemedia@gmail.com by 24th January, with successful applicants to be contacted by 31st of January. Accommodation for two nights and a contribution towards travel costs will be provided for external participants.
For further information, see www.historyandthemedia.wordpress.com.
We eagerly await your submissions!
Alex Campsie, Rhys Jones, Mathias Haeussler