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The ‘Land Question’ is a familiar but still relatively under-studied area of modern British history. While specific aspects of the land question have attracted attention, a detailed interpretation spanning all areas of the British Isles and extending across the whole modern period remains elusive. A certain disciplinary over-specialisation has also effected scholarly conceptualisations of the land question, which is often treated as a topic in ‘political history’, narrowly defined. This Conference seeks to address these problems, by emphasising the relevance of the land question to the study of social, cultural and environmental history from the mid eighteenth to the late twentieth centuries.
The organisers of the conference aim to bring together social, cultural and political historians, as well as scholars from other disciplines (such as historical geography and art history). Proposals for 20-minute papers on any aspect of the land question are invited. Topics and themes could include:
- Land and identity – local, regional and national
- Environmental history and the Green movement
- ‘Heritage’ and landscape preservation
- The land question and party politics
- Land reform movements
- Agricultural trade unionism
- Rural local government
- The attitudes and experiences of the rural poor
- Rural social investigation
- Folklore, folksong and rural customs
- Urban land issues
- Artistic and photographic representations of the countryside and rural life
- Allotments and smallholdings
- Hunting
- Tourism
- Literature and the land question
These headings are guidelines only, however: we welcome all suggestions for papers and are particularly keen for proposals which approach the subject from a comparative or trans-national perspective.
Informal enquiries to any of the conference organisers are welcome. Intending participants should send a 200-word abstract, with a brief CV. Proposals for panel sessions (3 speakers + Chair) are also welcomed. The closing date for receipt of proposals is 31 January 2005.
Organisers:
Dr Matthew Cragoe, University of Hertfordshire (e-mail address given below)
Dr Jeremy Burchardt, University of Reading,
j.f.s.burchardt@rdg.ac.uk
Dr Paul Readman, King’s College London
paul.readman@kcl.ac.uk
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