Over the past few years, both European and extra-European historians have begun to examine the densely interwoven relationships between firearms and broad processes of social change. Sponsored by the School of History, the Centre for American Studies, and the Centre for the Study of Propaganda and War of the University of Kent, and the Institute of History of the University of Leiden, this international conference brings together historians interested in the study of the intersections between technology, culture and society. Its overarching intention is to use the trajectory of firearms as an entry point into the exploration of historical dynamics that are still relevant to our understanding of the contemporary world.

The conference will be organized along both thematic and regional lines, with such subjects as the social construction of firearms and the relationship between guns and popular culture being addressed alongside the role of guns on the American and African imperial frontiers.

Keynote speakers will include Tom McCaskie (SOAS), William Storey (Millsaps College, MS), Matthew Ward (University of Dundee) and Kevin Yuill (University of Sunderland).

Conference organisers: Karen Jones (University of Kent), Giacomo Macola (University of Kent), Robert Ross (Leiden University), David Welch (University of Kent)

Registration now extended until April 15th.

For the full conference programme and registration forms, see:
http://www.kent.ac.uk/amst/gunsandidentity.html