University of Oxford, Friday 12 June 2025
This interdisciplinary conference seeks to investigate and draw lessons from moments, both contemporary and historical, in which workers navigated through, organized in, demonstrated against, and at times, successfully transformed the political orders in which they lived. While workers and other non-elite groups operate in circumstances that limit their range of possible action, there are moments and arenas in which the political space is more or less hostile to collective action. Put briefly, we seek papers on how labour related to politics in democratic, colonial, and authoritarian contexts in any time period and space. We are particularly interested in how workers interact and interacted with political authorities in conditions of increased hostility. We invite papers that place the investigations of workers and their relationship to state and non-state actors, particularly police and party-political actors in authoritarian, semi-democratic, and democratic political, social, and economic conditions. Papers that analyse the interaction between workers and political parties, military, police, and courts, (inter-)national and local public officials, planners, and administrators, and rural and urban authorities are especially welcome. Studies of workers’ experience of the stabilisation strategies of various forms of public and political authority are encouraged. We ask that papers concern themselves with a case within one (or more) countries in the following spatial arenas: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, the Middle East, Africa, East Asia, South Asia, and Australasia. Papers from across all humanities disciplines and the social and political sciences are gladly received.
If you would like to participate, please submit a paper abstract of 300 words (maximum) and a short note about yourself by 31 March to labournetwork@torch.ox.ac.uk. Pre-circulated papers are to be submitted to the organisers by 1 June 2025. There are no conference fees. National and international travel and accommodation support can be provided on request.