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This conference will examine cultural expressions of internationalism in Britain and Europe at the turn of the last century. Flanked by the Franco-Prussian war (1870-71) and the Great War (1914-18), the fin de siècle stands out as an era of rising European militarism. Themes of national consolidation, isolation and aggression have become key to any analysis of the period. However, what this conference seeks to explore is the comcomitant drive towards an international political and cultural identity. It invites papers which examine how artistic and intellectual exchange between Britain and the Continent contributed to the sense of a common European, even world culture, and to a counter-current of political, internationalist optimism.
Topics may include, but need not be limited to:
- The proliferation of international cultural organisations at the fin de siècle
- Cultural repercussions of internationalist organisation
- Great Exhibitions as sites for international exchange
- Avant-garde theatre as a pan-European movement
- Art for art’s sake and the transcendence of national boundaries
- The arts, internationalism and the peace movement
- Cosmopolitan individuals who acted as cultural mediators
- Lingua francas and artificial languages
- International journals and other publishing projects
- cultural contact between Britain and any individual European country or countries
Dates :4-5 July 2006
venue: Magdalene College, Cambridge, UK
deadline for submission of abstracts: 1 June 2005
Enquiries, and abstracts of up to 300 words together with a brief biography, should be directed to:
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