The larger project of which this conference is a part seeks to encourage a rethinking of social history
methodologies for the period roughly 1500-1800 in light of the ‘de-centring’ of Europe and the rise
of global histories. It does so by coupling a social practices methodology (Theodore Schatzki and others) to such new approaches as global microhistory, spatiality, temporality and the history of materiality and the body. The main intellectual aims are to refine our explanations of historical change, to influence both ‘grand’ and middle-level narratives, to examine the relationship between ‘macro’ and ‘micro’ history, and to integrate materiality and the body into a global social history. Two more interlocked longterm aims are to enhance doctoral studies in social history, and to influence the way history textbooks deal with grand narrative. The project organizers aim to apply for a Horizon 2020 European Union training network grant in the next cycle.
In keeping with the long-term aim of establishing a training network for doctoral students, the conference will begin with two critical reflections. The first, by Peter Tobias, will examine what qualification programs do for young academics when looked at in a wider political and economic context. The second, by Thomas Alkemeyer, discusses coaching, the individualized self and reflexive modernism. The roundtable participants (doctoral students from several countries) will discuss Tobias’ and Alkemeyers’ talks in relation to their own views of graduate education and graduate student experience. This will be followed by several presentations and discussions on social practice theory, especially as applied to early modern history, and by presentations on global microhistory and on microspatial history.
9 June 20:00 Conference Dinner 10 June Qualification Programs, and the Making of Academics 9:30-10:15 The making of academics, a critical reassessment, Tobias Peter, Freiburg/Halle-Wittenberg 10:15-10:30 Discussion 10:30-11:15 Coaching as a practice of self-improvement, Thomas Alkemeyer, Oldenburg 11:15-11:30 Discussion 11:30-12:00 Coffee 12:00-13:00 Roundtable on the making of academics, Kate Davison (Oxford), Charlotta Forss (Stockholm), Alexandra Janetzko (Oldenburg), Frank Marquardt (Oldenburg). Moderator: Karin Sennefelt, Stockholm 13:00-13:30 General Discussion 13:30-15:00 Lunch Social Practice Theories 15.00-15.30 Social practice theories in historical research, Marian Füssel, Göttingen
15.30-15.45 Discussion 15.45-16.15 Social practices and microhistory, Dagmar Freist, Oldenburg 16.15-16:30 Discussion 16:30-17.00 Coffee 17.00-17.15 Comment: Phil Withington, Sheffield 17.15-18.00 General Discussion 11 June Social Practice Theories and Global History 09.30-10.00 Social practises and global microhistory, Annika Raapke, Oldenburg 10:00-10:15 Discussion 10.15-10.45 Micro-Spatial History, Christian G. De Vito, Leicester 10:45-11:00 Discussion 11:00-11:30 Coffee 11.30-11.45 Comment: Margaret Hunt, Uppsala 11.45-12.15 Wrap up Organizers: Dagmar Freist (Carl von Ossietzky University) Margaret Hunt (Uppsala University) Karin Sennefelt (Stockholm University) Phil Withington (Sheffield University)