Washington Builds for War: Defense, the Homefront, and Security in the Capital Region

Sixth Biennial Symposium on the
Historic Development of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.
March 5 & 6, 2005 at the School of Architecture, University of Maryland, College Park

The Latrobe Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians is seeking papers about the impact of domestic and international conflicts on the built environment of the Nation’s Capital and the surrounding areas of Maryland and Virginia. We encourage papers on all aspects of war-related construction, including military installations and defense systems; homefront activities such as housing and office construction; war memorials; and security measures, both historic and contemporary. Papers may consider any period from before the establishment of the national capital to the present and characterized by either active combat or uneasy peace.

The purpose of the symposium is to feature recent research in a format that encourages comment and discussion. Papers must be analytical rather than descriptive in nature and should place war-related construction in a comparative context of political, social, economic, and cultural forces. Accepted proposals will be grouped into thematic sessions to encourage substantive comparative discussion among presenters, moderators, and audience. All paper sessions will take place on Saturday, March 5, 2005. A bus tour of related sites in the Washington area will take place on Sunday, March 6, 2005.

Please send a 350-word abstract of a 20-minute paper, and your curriculum vitae, postmarked by September 6, 2004 to the address below.

All applicants will be notified of the selection by September 15, 2004. December 15, 2004 is the firm deadline for final text to be sent to session moderators, who will work with presenters to develop themes for discussion.