“International Society and its Discontents”

March 12-13, 2010

The ConIH Committee invites graduate students to submit proposals for the Tenth Annual Graduate Student Conference on International History to take place at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 12-13, 2010.

The term “international society” is widely used in academic and political parlance. Yet it remains relatively unexamined as a historical concept in its own right. ConIH aims to promote the conceptual analysis of “international society” as well as studies of its intellectual, political, legal, economic, religious, social, and cultural history.

Possible paper topics include, but are not limited to, international athletic competitions, international lawyers, the cultural and social life of international governmental, non-governmental, and inter-governmental institutions, international health initiatives, or human rights. We also hope to treat the threats to international society: agents of international social disorder, organized crime, terrorism, protectionism, and other barriers to the creation and maintenance of international cooperation and exchange. Papers on the history of international relations that address classic subjects such as war, peace, and diplomacy that cast light on the idea of international society are also welcome. We especially encourage papers treating these questions in periods prior to the twentieth century.

ConIH welcomes innovative research approaches and agendas. Papers will be selected on the basis of their strength, novelty of subject and interpretation, and utility as bases for historical comparison. Particular attention will be given to papers developing comparative perspectives – both geographical and temporal – and utilizing multi-archival and multi-lingual research bases. Specialists from Harvard and beyond will provide commentary on the papers. The conference will conclude with a plenary session, at which several leading scholars in the field of international & global history will discuss broad issues pertaining to the theme of the conference.

Graduate students who are interested in participating in the conference should submit a one-page paper proposal and one-page curriculum vita (in Word, RTF, or PDF format) to conih@fas.harvard.edu. Proposals must be received by November 20, 2009, in order to be considered. Notification of acceptance will be made in December. For additional information about the conference, please contact the conference organizers at conih@fas.harvard.edu or visit the conference website at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~conih/