International conference

*** 1968, Societies in Crisis: a global perspective

*** 1968-2008: forty years later, the crisis of 1968 are still a source of nostalgia, pride or resentment to those who took part in them. By virtue of their impact and their scope, they continue to attract the attention of scholars. The ongoing interest in the events of “1968’ may be explained by their many dimensions: they may be seen as periods of challenge to political power and authority, and as movements of student and trade union revolt. The ‘crisis of 68’ represent the apogee of the aspiration to freedom and change in societies exasperated by the status quo and respect for social and ethical codes considered obsolete. These general protest movements also found an echo because of their global dimension: they swept Quebec, the United States, Europe, Africa and Latin America.

In the framework of the fortieth anniversary of the events of 1968, the Lucienne Cnockaert Chair in the history of Europe and Africa (Université de Sherbrooke and Bishop’s University), the Concordia University Chair in the study of Quebec (Sociology and Anthropology department of Concordia University), the Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire sur le Québec et ses relations internationales (GRIQUERE) (Interuniversity research group on Quebec and its international relations) and the Groupement interuniversitaire sur l’histoire des relations internationales contemporaines (GIHRIC) (Interuniversity group for the history of contemporary international relations) are organizing a conference entitled 1968, Societies in Crisis : a global perspective. The conference will seek, on the one hand, to analyze the interconnections, influences or distinctive characteristics of the crisis associated with 1968 and on the other, to compare these crisis by placing them in the sociopolitical perspective of the Sixties (decolonization in Africa, thaw in the Cold War, Vietnam War and, in Quebec, Quiet Revolution, among other factors). The object is to undertake a comprehensive, comparative and interlinked rereading of the ‘springtimes’ of 1968 in order to understand the social, economic and political origins of the different movements, observe the issues involved as well as the development and outcome of the crisis, and finally, determine the significance and impact of the events of 1968 and their place in the collective memories of Europeans, Africans and Americans. To carry out this analytical and comparative study - to grasp the complexity as well as the borrowings or mutual influences between different movements - we hope to receive proposals for papers on the following themes:
- Origins and ideologies of the crisis of 68
- Societies, conjunctures and protests
- The political economy of the crisis
- Student crisis and demands
- The importance and role of the unions in the events of 1968
- Political power and the management of the crisis
- Political and union leaders and the crisis (De Gaulle, Senghor, Dubcek etc.)
- Influences and interactions among the various crisis of 1968
- Significance of the events of 1968
- Commemorations of 1968, between history and memory.

Scholars and professors interested in these themes are invited to submit a text of about 300 words describing their proposed paper before April 1, 2008.

Please send your proposal and a CV (or any requests for information) by e-mail to Professor Patrick Dramé at the following address:
patrick.drame@usherbrooke.ca The conference will be held on Monday, November 3, 2008 on the campus of Concordia University (languages of communication: French and English).

Scientific committee
Patrick Dramé, Assistant professor, Bishop’s University and Université de Sherbrooke. Jean Lamarre, Associate professor, Royal Military College/ Collège militaire royal, Kingston. Jean-Philippe Warren, Assistant professor, Concordia University. Robert Comeau, Professor, Université du Québec à Montréal. Michael Childs, Professor, Bishop’s University. Samir Saul, Associate professor, Université de Montréal. Magali Deleuze, Assistant professor, Royal Military College/ Collège militaire royal, Kingston

Organizing Committee Ivan Carel, Ph.D, UQAM Patrick Dramé, Assistant professor, Bishop’s University and Université de Sherbrooke Jean Lamarre, Associate professor, Royal Military College/ Collège militaire royal, Kingston Sami Mesli, Ph.D, Lecturer, UQAM Kim Perron, Master’s student, Université de Sherbrooke