For over ten years now, American historians have heeded the call to “bring the state back in” to American political history. While room has been made for the State as a political agent with its own possibilities and limitations, this interest in bringing the State in also raises new questions for American historians. How do we define the State? When did the U.S. State develop into a “modern” state? How far back can we trace its origins, and what are the historiographical implications of such origins-seeking? How has the 19th century State shaped not only political history, but also social and cultural history, especially through issues of citizenship and rights? We seek to call together graduate students with an interest in politics and the State, as well as those interested in the social and cultural effects of state building, to explore these questions and to raise others.

Papers may cover topics such as territorial acquisition and expansion, suffragists, the Reconstruction amendments, Civil War Pensions, the Confederacy, the draft, the Freedmen’s Bureau and its clients, filibustering, the status of Native Americans, the political rhetoric of citizenship, Progressive Era state expansion, eugenics, the relationship between the US and Latin American revolutions, popular perceptions of the State, and reassessments of the relative weakness of the US State. Graduate students in any discipline are encouraged to submit proposals.

Authors whose papers are accepted will receive a $400 stipend to defray travel costs.

Submissions should be sent via email to Rachel Louise Moran, at rlm331@psu.edu

Please include full contact information, an abstract of up to 500 words, and a copy of your C.V.

Submissions are due November 30, 2009 Notifications will be made by mid-December

For more information, see http://tiny.cc/searchstate

Sponsored by the George and Ann Richards Civil War Era Center and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) We the People Challenge Grant.