Now in the third years of its existence, the RICHIE association is happy to present the call for papers for its annual conference. The success of the first two conferences was further proof of the importance of organising events that give PhD students and young scholars an opportunity to present their research. After three years, fruitful contacts have been established and new collaborations have been developed.
This year, the conference will be organised by the Istituto Italiano di Scienze Umane (SUM) in cooperation with the University of Padova and the University Suor Orsola Benincasa. It will take place on 14th and 15th December 2007 in Naples in the University Suor Orsola Benincasa. Prof. Piero Craveri and Prof. Antonio Varsori are the scientific overseers. The scientific committee includes:
– Jürgen Elvert (University of Cologne)
– Karl Christian Lammers (University of Copenhagen)
– Johnny Laursen (University of Aarhus)
– Wilfried Loth (University of Duisburg-Essen)
– Piers Ludlow (London School of Economics)
– Paolo Macry (University Federico II – Naples)
– Jean-Marie Palayret (UE Archives Florence, Institut des Hautes Etudes Européennes de Strasbourg)
– Maurice Vaïsse (Sciences-Po Paris)
– Eric Bussière (Sorbonne-Paris IV) ou Robert Frank (Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne)
The theme of the conference
The first RICHIE conference, which took place in Paris in 2005, aimed to give an account of the recent research led by young scholars on European integration. The second RICHIE conference « The road to a united Europe – Interpretations of the process of European integration», which took place in Copenhagen in 2006, focussed on the interpretations offered by the various schools on the process of European integration.
The history of European integration is often studied – with reason – from a perspective that emphasises the image of a Europe sharing a common cultural, legal, historical and economic heritage. Yet, Europe’s history in the last two hundred years is also one of numerous dichotomies and of religious, economic, political and ideological differences. These are divisions that often go beyond the national frame. For this third conference, we want to analyse the history of European integration from the angle of these different dichotomies and from a long-term perspective. This will enable us to re-open the debate about the time period of the process of European integration.
Each paper should try to address the dichotomy of both Europes by either supporting or challenging it. The examples mentioned below do not exclude other proposals.
The theme will be analysed in 4 sessions that will focus on:
1. The two Europes : Continuity and breaks in the 19th and 20th Century.
The first theme will enable us to analyse Europe’s major historical divisions, such as Catholic and Protestant Europe, agrarian and industrialised Europe, Eastern and Western Europe. Papers that adopt a long-term perspective are particularly welcome.
2. Europe as a dream - Europe as a reality.
In this session, we will analyse the opposition between the idea of Europe, and its actual achievements. Papers can mention the representations of Europe, as well as the European projects since the 19th Century and how they matched up in reality. The papers can deal, for example, with the hopes raised by the Hague conference in 1948, and the achievements of European cooperation since 1948. They can take into consideration the opposition between a Europe of elites, and a Europe of the people. The contributions can also analyse the role played by the dichotomy Europe as a dream-Europe as a reality in the enlargement process from the 1970s to this day.
3. Political Europe(s) – Economic Europe(s).
Europe witnessed several economic and political projects during the 20th Century. Papers can thus study the dichotomy between political Europe economic Europe. In the economic sphere, they could focus, for example, on the opposition between integrated and liberal Europe, while in the political sphere, they can consider the opposition between a Europe of nation-states, a federal Europe and a Europe of regions.
4. Europe as a Power – Europe as a tool of Power
In this session, we will analyse cases that take into consideration the dichotomy of a Europe as a power versus a Europe instrumentalised by the member states or by an external power. We find this dichotomy, for example, in the field of the EEC’s external relations, during the Cold War with the partition of Europe, then with the attempts to overcome the division of Europe. Papers can thus examine this problematic from the perspective of the internal or external perception of Europe as a power and as a tool of power.
How to apply
The conference is for PhD students, and young scholars. Candidates must send an abstract of around 500 words, a short biography of 200 words, as well as a summary of their thesis or main research project in 200 words. Only the proposals that include those three elements will be taken into consideration. Applications can be written in French or in English, and must be sent by email (word, rtf or pdf format) to colloquerichie@yahoo.com by 30th June at the latest.
Selected candidates will be contacted on 30th September 2007. They must send the final version of their papers by 15th November at the latest, in order for those to be distributed to the other participants before the start of the conference.
Presentations should last about 20 minutes, and can be given in French or in English.
We are thinking about publishing the papers, and if this happened, they could be written in French, English or Italian.
The University Suor Orsola Benincasa will cover accommodation costs and the registration fee for the selected candidates. However, transport costs will not be covered. For students who do not have enough funds to cover transport costs, RICHIE will help to seek alternative funding.
Organizing Committee:
Michele Affinito (University Suor Orsola Benincasa)
Giuseppe Mancini (University Suor Orsola Benincasa)
Guia Migani (University of Padoue – Sciences-Po Paris)
Christian Wenkel (Sciences-Po Paris – University of Munich)