CONFERENCE: Contemporary International History: Current Perspectives, Future Directions

This is a closed conference – enquiries to patricia.clavin@jesus.ox.ac.uk

This year it has been six years since the Oslo Contemporary International History Network held its last conference. The network was established in 2010 to explore new research trends in international history through the work of early career researchers from across Europe and beyond. During the network’s three-year long existence, its members discussed and published more than 50 articles, book chapters and monographies on a broad varieties of topics in International History, ranging from human rights and inter-war transnationalism to Cold War diplomacy and development aid. Today, six years on, the world has fundamentally changed. At the Oxford reunion and reboot of the network in 2018, we wish to appraise the themes, theories, methods and perspectives that are currently shaping research in and teaching of International History. Through a series of presentations and discussions we invite participants in the conference to articulate the questions, concepts and materials that now frame their research, a decade or so on from the formation of the network. Among the questions we will consider: what does the return of geopolitics in the 21st century mean for International History? Is it useful to discern a European approach to International History? If so, what distinguishes its conceptual toolbox and its empirical focus?

Sessions on Day One cover Connecting and Globalizing Europe, Human (In)Security, Commodities and Global History, International Organizations and International Thought. The morning of Day Two focuses on Teaching International History, followed by a series of Masterclasses for PhD students in the afternoon.

Convenors: Patricia Clavin (Oxford), Karen Gram-Skjoldager (Aarhus), Hanne Hagtvedt Vik (Oslo), Mats Ingulstad (Norwegian University of Science and Technology)

The conference is grateful for funding from Aarhus University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.