A Major, International, Cross Disciplinary Conference
8-10 July 1998
Organised by
The University of Westminster and the Journal MEDIA HISTORY
At the Graduate School, School of Communications, University of Westminster,
London
What is the role of the media in history? What is the purpose of histories
of the media?
Is the history of the press and broadcasting, permeating every aspect of
modern life, yet all too often ignored, important because a regard for the
impact of these hugely influential institutions ought to be part of properly
balanced historical writing? In this way is the role of media history to
enrich understanding of many aspects of history - from the conduct of wars
to life in the home, from high politics and how prime- ministers behave to
low politics and what people argue about on the Clapham omnibus? Or is the
role of media history to raise unique problems about popular understanding
and the ways in which collective and individual memories are formed?
Is media history about icons or institutions, or is it really about a peculiarly
valuable set of archives? Is it about serious democratic discussion, or about
fun? Or indeed, are these more linked than conventional thinking allows?
Is media history about who the press and broadcasting influence, or how they
are produced?
Is the history of the media about the profound impact the media have on other
institutions, parliament, politics, families, the law, commerce, or is it
the set of professional and interesting work that is done in its name? Indeed,
is media history good history, or the history of the media?
This important, international, cross disciplinary conference will bring together
distinguished academics from the fields of history, the social sciences,
communications and literature, together with practitioners, journalists and
documentary makers, as well as archivists and researchers, to consider the
range of work being done and to raise important questions about what media
history is. It will consider research from the early history of print to
the evolving history of new technology. It will have a strong international
theme with contributions from scholars in the UK, Europe, America and Japan.
In a period when research and disciplinary boundaries are becoming more narrowly
professional, it will be an opportunity to explore large scale and important
problems about understanding the modern world.
The conference has been organised to coincide with the first publication of a new multi-disciplinary journal which will bring together work on the history of the media in all parts of the world. MEDIA HISTORY, published twice a year by Carfax, will itself provide a medium through which the debates represented at the conference can be extended and developed.
Anyone interested in the publication should apply to Carfax
Publishing LimitedThe conference will be organised around key note addresses and contributions by some of the the most creative and innovative thinkers in the field, including Michael Schudson, Peter Burke, Laurel Brake, Christine Ferdinand, Michael Harris, Paddy Scannell and James Curran. It will also include a series of workshops, each of will include an important international aspect of such topics as:
There will be two special sessions, one devoted to the state, conservation, and future of many of the most important media archives, and another to a reflection on the use of historical material by journalists and documentary makers who use-and makehistoric media material. There will also be a major reception at an historic media venue.
Or Email it to: Maria Way, on: waym@wmin.ac.uk.
Abstracts must be received by 1 March 1998 in order to be considered for
inclusion in the conference.
If you need further information please contact:
Full details of Media History can be obtained on the Carfax Home Page at:
http://www.carfax.co.uk/meh-ad.htm.
Or, from
Carfax Publishing Limited
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