Call for sessions and papers on Labour and Working Class History for the European Social Science History Conference (ESSHC), Glasgow (UK) 11-14 April 2012
From 11-14 April 2012 the 9th European Social Science History Conference will take place in Glasgow, Scotland (UK). The ESSHC brings together scholars interested in explaining historical phenomena using the methods of the social sciences. The conference is characterized by a lively exchange in many small groups, rather than by formal plenary sessions. It is organized in a large number of networks that cover specific fields of interest. One of the largest networks is Labour.
We think that progress in Labour History is being made by analysing global developments in labour relations and labour struggle, including the influence of these global developments on local cases. It also remains essential to take into account besides class other constituent elements of working class identities, like gender, ethnicity, religion, age and nationality.
At the previous network meeting (Ghent 2010), participants and organisers agreed on expanding the traditional concept of 'labour' and of 'organised labour'. Several themes were suggested, among others: unpaid labour; labour and war conditions; non-Socialist working class associations; sources in labour history; work floor dynamics; (changing) working class culture; domestic service; pre-1800 labour history. However, the Labour History Network welcomes any other session or paper proposal dealing with all topics and periods in labour and working class history.
During the selection of proposals, the coherence of sessions will be an important criterion. Therefore, propositions of full sessions with three or four papers will be easier to accommodate in the conference programme than single papers. Most sessions choose the panel format, but other types of sessions are encouraged. We have a preference for sessions with a comparative character, geographically and/or chronologically. Also, we advise you to seek alliances with other ESSHC-networks and propose joint sessions. We heartily encourage young scholars, such as PhD and master students, to involve in organizing sessions within the Labour Network.
Proposing sessions or paper only works by pre-registering on our website: http://www.iisg.nl/esshc/2012/index.php.
To propose a panel session (2 hour timeslot): pre-register for 3 or 4 participants. Add full names and addresses of all paper authors, and of a chair and/or commentator. NB: In the case of full sessions, it is important to indicate the name of the session for every individual paper! To propose a paper: pre-register through the conference website, indicating 'Labour' as your network of preference. The deadline for proposing abstracts is 1 May 2011.
Further information on the ESSHC is available from the conference website at www.iisg.nl/esshc.
For specific questions about the Labour History Network, please contact the chairs:
Magaly Rodriguez (mrodrigu at vub.ac.be) and Elise van Nederveen Meerkerk (enm at iisg.nl).