More than a billion people live in improvised dwellings or shanty towns in the early 21st century. Whether in inner cities or on the outskirts of a metropolis, these settlements have been dubbed ‘Shadow Cities’ by Robert Neuwirth. What light can historical investigation shed on what have often been Manichean representations of the shanty town as either a place of hope or a site of irredeemable misery? The aim of this conference is to investigate and explain the historical existence of Shadow Cities, their varying nature in different historical and geographical circumstances, the living conditions and experiences of their inhabitants, and the perceptions or representations of such settlements.

Panel (three speakers) proposals should include a panel title, paper titles and 200-word abstracts for each paper, together with a short CV for each panel present. Individual submissions should include a paper title, 200-word abstract and a short CV. Abstracts should clearly indicate how proposed panels or papers address the themes of the conference.

For further information, please visit www.history.ac.uk/shadow-cities.

All proposals should be submitted by 31 January 2011 by email to Vivian.Bickford@sas.ac.uk

Registration details will be available from Olwen.Myhill@sas.ac.uk in March 2011.