Collective Memory, Social Action, and the Uses of History
Deadline for Abstract Submission: January 20, 2018
From Maryland and Charlottesville to Catalonia, Myanmar, and communities across the globe, this year
has seen a dramatic increase in activism, public debate, and conflict centered on collective memory,
representation, and history. Movements and actors across the political spectrum have claimed historical
narratives to forward sometimes conflicting visions for society. The formation and contestation of
history and collective memory are not new phenomenon and are identifiable across cultures and time
periods. Accordingly, historians and memory studies have long been concerned with the diverse
manifestations of memory and the interaction between past and present in political, cultural, and social
contexts. With these themes prominent in contemporary discourses of nation, identity, and justice, this
conference asks: How has the past been made present and to what ends?
Call for Papers and Presentations
With the goal of better understand the diverse ways individuals, institutions, states, and civil society
have produced, utilized, and contested memory and history, this conference encourages submissions
from various disciplines, fields, geographical areas, and time periods. Additionally, we encourage paper
or presentations submissions from political or movement practitioners outside of the academy dealing
with topics history, memory, and action. Submissions are welcome exploring topics, including, but not
limited to, the following:
-- Political and social movements, broadly defined
-- History, memory, and the production of knowledge
-- The built environment, geography, and media/visual culture
-- Feminism, gender, and sexuality
-- Race, ethnicity, and class
-- Urban/ rural history, indigenous communities, and the environment
-- Empire, colonialism, and nationalism
-- Religion, ideology, science, and philosophy
We will consider submissions from all chronological periods and all geographical focuses.
Conference Details
The 13th Annual History Graduate Student Association conference will provide the opportunity for
academics, graduate students, and community members to present and discuss their research and ideas
with colleagues and peers, and to develop our thoughts and ideas on demanding topics. Presentations
will be grouped into panels to facilitate greater discussion and interaction between scholars.
Panels will consist of graduate presenters, a graduate student commentator, and a faculty chair.
A prize will be awarded for the best paper.
The conference will feature a series of morning and afternoon panels, a lunchtime roundtable, and an
address by our keynote speaker. The conference will conclude with the announcement of the
prizewinner.
The conference will take place on March 8-9, 2018 on the flagship campus of the University of Maryland.
No registration fee required, breakfast and lunch included.
The University of Maryland is also located minutes away from the National Archives, making this conference a great place to not only present your research, but conduct further research as well.
Submission Guidelines:
-- Proposals must be submitted by January 20, 2018 to umdgradhistconference@gmail.com as a
Word or PDF attachment
-- Must be no more than 300 words
-- Include: scholar’s name, home institution, email address, fundamental research question
addressed, evidence and methodological approaches used, and main argument made.
-- Conclusions need not be final, but areas of inquiry must be consistent between proposal and
presentation.
-- If selected, participants will be asked to submit a ten to fifteen page final version of their paper
by February 21, 2018.