Call for papers & sessions (deadline 15 May 2013)

The ESSHC Elites and forerunners network (former Elites network) is looking for individual contributions about the history of elites understood in the widest possible sense. We also look for participants willing to organize sessions of four to five papers around a particular topic.

Each session must include papers from several countries. Sessions composed around thematic, theoretical or conceptual questions, with a comparative approach, will be favoured to geographical and epoch-oriented sessions. Session organizers may invite participants to join their session, but the final organization of sessions and acceptance of papers rests with the network.

The network welcomes papers and sessions dealing with theoretical and methodological approaches. We encourage the session organizers to consider new arrangements, such as workshops, roundtable discussions and meet-the-author sessions.

The network particularly urges the potential participants to consider novel applications for our core concept. 'Elite' as a category may prove useful as opposed to various 'non-elite' categories, in many different contexts.

Those who have encountered the ESSHC Elites network earlier will notice some changes. The former Elites network is now 'Elites and forerunners'. There is also a new motto – from counter-elites to establishment to stagnation, to decline and fall. Both novelties stress the importance of a dynamic approach to elites and their history, seeing them not only as holders of status and privilege or as agents of stagnation, but also as forces of continuous societal change. The decline and downfall of elites, sometimes followed by a re-emergence, also deserve attention. Elites should be explored across the full length of their life span.

To celebrate the diverse history of the venue of the 2014 conference the network wishes to promote certain topics inspired by the Austrian past. These are
- empires and their margins, imperial vs. separatist-nationalist elites
- court elites and court culture
- diaspora elites vs. immigrating non-elite compatriots, tribesmen or fellow believers
- artistic and architectural elites modernising the city culture
- cold war diplomatic and other elites

As always, the possible topics of Elites and forerunners network include, but are not limited to
- local, national, colonial(ist), émigré, international and trans-national elites
- military, clerical, intellectual, political, diplomatic, business, industrial and media elites
- elite lifestyles, strategies, symbolism and hierarchies
- aspiring, established, stagnated, declining and former elites
- types, sources and strategies of power and distinction

To participate in the conference you must pre-register by 15 May 2013 on the ESSHC website http://esshc.socialhistory.org/esshc-vienna-2014. Session proposals should be submitted to the network chair, Marja Vuorinen (marja.vuorinen@helsinki.fi), who will also provide further information.