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New ICOHTEC Newsletter  No 48: March 2009

Editorial

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

Good news for ICOHTEC: our treasurer Wolfhard Weber publishes a ninety pages sampler, based on the 40th Anniversary Session of ICOHTEC in Victoria. The volume offers papers on the history of ICOHTEC and reflects the ideas of history discussed by its founding fathers. Please find the editorial, the contents and information how to order the book on our homepage http://www.icohtec.org/publications.htm, and feel free to contact Wolfhard Weber by wolfhard.weber@rub.de.

On our next meeting in Budapest, ICOHTEC will organise eight sessions on the history of technology as part of the XXIII International Congress of History of Science and Technology. Thus Budapest will become the biggest ICOHTEC symposium held as joint meeting with the ICHST until now.

The meeting will take place in about four month; thus the deadline for registration and the payment of the registration fees, the 15 April 2009, will pass soon. The ICHST organisers prepared two registration forms for online registration: one for the abstract submission process and the other one for the registration of the congress. Please find the registration form for the congress on http://www.conferences.hu/ichs09/Registration.htm. And please take care: participants, whose paper is accepted will be excluded from the program of the symposia, if they don’t pay their fees until 15 April 2009.

It will be a pleasure to meet you in Budapest!
Yours Stefan

 

Contents

 

I. Conference Reports

II. Future Conferences

III. Awards

IV. Call for contributions

V. Recently Published Books

 

I. Conference Reports

Flotte, Funk und Fliegen. Leittechnologien der Wilhelminischen Epoche / Shipping, Aviation and Radio Communication. Leading technologies in-between 1888 and 1918. Annual meeting on history of technology of the Association of German Engineers VDI / Technikgeschichtliche Jahrestagung des Vereins Deutscher Ingenieure, VDI
26 - 27 February 2009, Düsseldorf, Germany

The annual congress on history of technology of the VDI (Association of German Engineers), organised by Helmut Maier, Bochum, was dedicated to the most important technologies of the so-called “Wilhelminism”, the period of the German Emperor Wilhelm II.  Wilhelm was enthusiastically interested in the development of technology. Thus one of the aims of the congress was to analyse the political influence on the development of different technologies. Secondly, the role of technology for the representation of the state was investigated; the third aim was, to study discourses on technology and to explore the public opinion about technology. Contributions were made to various fields of technology as ship building and the construction of airships, the concrete based building construction was investigated as well as chemistry and electricity and the collaboration of science based industry and science. In some way Wolfgang König’s book on Wilhelm II and the development of technology, published in 2007, was the backbone of the conference. It could be fruitful to compare the development in Germany, analysed by this VDI meeting, with the development in European countries, the States and Asian countries, that adapted Western technology for their purposes. 
 
Please find two conference reports in German language on http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/tug/aktuelles.html


II. Future Conferences

23-24 April 2009
Fluss – Land – Stadt / River, Countryside and City

Hochschule Bremerhaven, Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum Bremerhaven  
Please find the program of the conference: http://hsozkult.geschichte.hu-berlin.de/termine/id=10981

 

22–24 May 2009
Geschichte(n) der Robotik / History of Robotics
. Annual meeting of the (German) Society for the History of Technology /Wissenschaftlichen Jahrestagung der Gesellschaft für Technikgeschichte 2009
Hochschule für Gestaltung, Offenbach

Please find the program of the conference:
http://www.gtg.tu-berlin.de/mambo/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=785&Itemid=267

 

2–4 September 2009
The Economics of the Cold War.
Sixth international conference in a series “Between ‘Total War’ and ‘Small Wars’: Studies in the Societal History of the Cold War”
Hamburg Institute for Social Research, Hamburg, Germany
CFP – Deadline 15 April 2009 

The confrontation and competition of two antagonistic economic systems was an integral part of the Cold War, as Cold War “warfare” was played out in the realm of economic, trade, and social policies. Yet in spite of the crucial role of the economic sector in the Cold War, there is still a considerable need for systematic research and, in particular, for work with a diachronic and comparative international perspective.
The conference will address the following central questions:
- How was economic development shaped by the Cold War?
- How was the Cold War waged in the economic sector?
- What are the salient features of an economic history of the Cold War?
- To what extent and how can economic, trade-related, and socio-political policies that directly served the goals of the Cold War be isolated reliably from the more general effects of modernization? Besides considering the super powers and great powers, contributions are welcome which pay special attention to minor actors, especially those at the periphery of the bloc confrontation.

We would like to focus on the following thematic clusters:
1) General surveys of the economic history of the Cold War, the history of economic warfare, and the development of national economies
2) Economic and social effects of defense spending in free market economies vs. command economies
3) The competition of economic systems in the spheres of living standards, social welfare, and infrastructure (“Schaufensterkonzept”, “Magnettheorie”)
4) Types of development aid within the rivalry of the opposing systems and criteria for its allocation (economic aid, armaments, education)
5) International economic organizations such as the IMF, OECD, Comecon, and their effects on the economic development of the respective member states
6) Economic warfare versus economic cooperation beyond the logic of bloc confrontation
7) Ecological effects of economic policies in the service of the Cold War
The conference language is English. The Hamburg Institute for Social Research will reimburse travel expenses (second-class train fare or economy-class air fare for long-distance travel) and provide accommodations during the conference for all invited participants.
Please send proposals (one to two pages) by 15 April 2009 to the Hamburg Institute for Social Research at coldwar@his-online.de 
Invited speakers will be expected to submit a paper of no more than 15 pages in length on the topic proposed by 1 August 2009.

Convenors: Bernd Greiner, Christian Th. Müller, Dierk Walter, Claudia Weber

Please visit http://www.his-online.de/cms.asp?IDN=293&H=%271469%27&Sprache=en
Please contact: Christian Th. Müller, Hamburg Institute for Social Research, coldwar@his-online.de

 

10-13 September 2009
IET 36th ANNUAL HISTORY WEEKEND
Mulhouse, Alsace, France
CFP – Deadline: End of April 2009

A conference on engineering history organised by the IET History of Technology TPN in collaboration with IET France and the Société d'Electricité, de l'Electronique et des Technologies de l'Information et de la Communication (SEE).
 
For the first time in the history of these Weekends the 36th event will be held outside the British Isles in 2009. The chosen location is Mulhouse, Alsace, France. Mulhouse is an especially suitable location, having many museums and providing opportunities for interesting visits. Members of the IET and all others interested in the history of engineering and technology are invited to submit papers for possible inclusion in the programme of events outlined below. Whilst the language of the event will be English, offers of papers in French will also be considered. Organisers are keen to receive offers of papers on railway and electrical (especially nuclear) power generation history, particularly related to France and Western Europe.
 
Mulhouse Historical Associations
As an important and long standing industrial location Mulhouse is rich with museums of interest to IET members and those interested in the history of science, engineering and technology including among others:-
 
•           French National Railway Museum,
•           EDF ‘Electropolis’ (Museum of Electricity),
•           Automobile Museum,
•           Firefighters Museum,
•           Museum of Printed Textiles (like Manchester, Mulhouse was a major cotton city)
 
As a location it therefore provides facilities for a number of interesting museum visits and the chance to attract talks on non-UK topics.
 
 
MULHOUSE PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME
Because of the increased scope for visits the proposal is to start the Weekend on a Thursday rather than the usual Friday ending on Sunday lunchtime as is traditional.
 
Thursday 10 September 2009
Arrival and registration in Conference hotel in Mulhouse
1st papers presentation session at Conference hotel followed by dinner.
 
Friday 11 September 2009
Plans for today include a visit to the construction site of the Rhine-Rhone TGV rail link, including a presentation on the project
2nd papers presentation session at Conference hotel followed by dinner.
 
Saturday 12 September 2009
Plans for Saturday include a guided tour of Cité du Train, the French National Railway Museum and the adjacent EDF Electropolis Museum of Electricty,both in Mulhouse
3rd papers presentation session at the Conference hotel followed by the Conference dinner.
 
Sunday 13 September 2009
Plans for Sunday may include the final papers presentation session at the Conference hotel and/or a guided tour of Mulhouse followed by a farewell lunch at a traditional restaurant.
 
GUIDANCE TO AUTHORS
Accepted papers will be published and copies lodged in the IET Library and made available electronically. Although the length of final published papers is, within reason, unrestricted authors must note that presentation time at the meeting is limited to 30 minutes maximum which must include an allowance for questions. More detailed guidance will be provided to authors whose abstracts are accepted.
 
ABSTRACTS FOR CONSIDERATION
Respondents to this Call for Papers are requested to submit an abstract, not exceeding 100 words, explaining the topic and scope of their proposed paper for consideration by the Programme Committee. Abstracts should be submitted by the end of April 2009, preferably by Email to amarvin@theiet.org
 
Authors of accepted papers should note that copies of their final paper will be required before the Conference commences so that printed copies can be made available to attendees.
 
Please visit The Institution of Engineering and Technology, www.theiet.org/archives
Please contect Asha Marvin, IET Acting Archivist,amarvin@theiet.org
 
 

16-19 September 2009
3rd National Underground Railroad Summit
Indiana, USA
CFP – Deadline 30 April 2009

The Friends of the Network to Freedom Association invites proposals for its upcoming annual conference (September 16-19, 2009). Taking a cue from our host city, Indianapolis, which is referred to as the “Crossroads of America,” this year’s conference theme is “Freedom Trails at the Crossroads: Paths to Telling the Underground Railroad Story through History, Teaching ,and Technology.” The conference will explore the Underground Railroad as a meeting point or a zone of contact in which cultures, geographies, regions, races, ethnicities, religious and political ideologies met and interacted. In addition to exploring past connections, the conference also seeks to explore ways in which present day people interested in the story of the Underground Railroad transcend local histories and make connections to a larger national story with global significance. The Friends of the Network to Freedom Association welcomes proposals from a wide variety of academic, public, and community partners and interested Underground Railroad researchers.

Please visit http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=167667&keyword=history&keyword=technology
Please contact Friends of the Network to Freedom Association, info@ugrfriends.org

 

15–19 October 2009
Annual Meeting of the Society for the History of Technology, SHOT
Pittsburgh

CFP – Deadline 30 March 2009
The deadline of the call for papers is on Monday; please visit: http://www.historyoftechnology.org/annual_meeting.html

 

13 - 16 April 2010
Technology Network
. European Social Science History Conference
Ghent, Belgium
CFP – Deadline 1 May 2009

The biennial European Social Science History Conference is an excellent opportunity to develop contacts between historians working in different fields of historical research and to explore interdisciplinary work. At past conferences in Berlin (2004), Amsterdam (2006), and Lisbon (2008), historians specializing in technological areas had the opportunity to interact with other specialists from 28 thematic fields. Co-organized sessions with the childhood, urban, and economics networks were particularly successful.
For the 2010 conference in Ghent, we invite papers or sessions on the interactions of technology with culture, politics, economics and society -- during all time periods. Especially welcome are complete session proposals that connect technological themes with other historical sub-disciplines, e.g., those recognized as ‘networks’ by the ESSHC.
ALL proposals for papers and sessions must be “preregistered” by May 1 2009, at . As chairs of the technology network, we’d be happy to discuss ideas for sessions with you.

Tom Misa, University of Minnesota, tmisa@umn.edu 
Dick van Lente, Erasmus University Rotterdam, vanlente@fhk.eur.nl

 

1-3 July 2010
Records, archives and technology: interdependence over time. Fifth International Conference on History of Records and Archives, I-CHORA  5.
London
CFP – Deadline 30 April 2009

Proposals are now invited for papers, which may address (but are not restricted to) issues in the following themes:
1. Early technologies and the origins of recordkeeping
2. Technology, records and the growth of bureaucracy
3. Creating and using records in the workplace
4. Responding to technological change
Please submit 500-word abstract by 30 April 2009

For more information please visit our website at: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ichora5 
Please contact I-CHORA5@nationalarchives.gov.uk 

 

III. Awards

GARCÍA-DIEGO INTERNATIONAL PRIZE – V EDITION
HISTORY OF TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH
Deadline 30 December 2009

Rules

  1. The Juanelo Turriano Foundation announces its V edition of the “GARCÍA-DIEGO” International Prize, of 12,000 euro, on the subject “History of Technology Research”, in any branch.
  2. Any Spanish or foreign individuals presenting an original, unpublished work may participate in the competition.
  3. All works opting for the prize shall have a “Theme” stated clearly on the front cover and may not be signed or directly identified in any way whatsoever. Participants shall submit a sealed envelope together with their work, containing a full, detailed, unequivocal identification of the author or authors of the work.
  4. The work shall be submitted no later than 18:00 on 30 DECEMBER 2009, at the offices of the Juanelo Turriano Foundation: c/ Zurbano  nº 41, 1ª Planta, 28010 Madrid (Spain)
  1. The work shall be submitted in three copies, written in Spanish, with an introduction containing an executive summary of the contents and a report, having a sufficient length to enable its publication in the form of a book with approximately 200 pages. The work will be presented on standard paper 210 x 297 mm., with 1.5 line spacing and top and bottom margins of 2.54 cm. The document will also be delivered on a data carrier.
  1. The competition will be judged discretionally by the Jury, consisting of a representative of the Foundation and high level academic and cultural figures. The composition and identity of its members will be published together with the decision. The Prize may not be awarded if the works presented do not conform to the rules of the competition or lack the necessary quality.
  1. All works other than the prize-winner will be returned to their authors, identified exclusively by the “Theme”, on presentation of the receipt issued when submitted.
  1. The prize-winning work may be published by the Foundation should it deem fit, in which case it will be named sponsor of the study. If published, the copyright of the first edition will be assigned to the Juanelo Turriano Foundation. If the Foundation decides not to publish the work, it shall also be deemed to waive its rights in favour of the author, but whenever it is published, the Foundation must be clearly named as sponsor of the study.

 

IV. Call for contributions


Reparieren – oder die Lebensdauer der Gebrauchsgüter / Repairing and the Lifecycle of Consumer Goods. Special issue of the German journal “Technikgeschichte”
CFP – Deadline 19 April 2009

Während sich die Volkskunde mit dem Reparieren und dem „Umgang mit den Dingen“ wiederholt beschäftigt hat, ist diese Thematik in der Technikgeschichte nur am Rande wahrgenommen worden – sie hat sich primär für die Neuproduktion interessiert. Das Reparieren gehört jedoch zu unserer Alltagserfahrung und ist unauflöslich – durch die Ermüdung oder den Defekt von Artefakten – mit der Technik verbunden. Besonders in weniger entwickelten Ökonomien (in Entwicklungsländern, aber auch in postsozialistischen Staaten) kommt dem Reparieren im Sinne einer Nutzungsverlängerung von Gebrauchsgütern eine erhebliche Relevanz zu. Einen kurzen Überblick zur Thematik gibt: Reinhold Reith, Reparieren: Ein Thema der Technikgeschichte?, in: R. Reith u. D. Schmidt (Hg.), Kleine Betriebe - angepasste Technologie? Münster u. New York 2002, S. 139-161.

Please contact Reinhold Reith and Georg Stöger, Wirtschafts- und Sozialgeschichte,  Universität Salzburg, georg.stoeger@sbg.ac.at.

 

Call for papers and Award of the “Annals of Science”
Deadline 30 September 2009

Submit your unpublished paper to Annals of Science for a chance to win US$500 and a year's free subscription to this established Journal!
This prize is offered every two years to the author of an original, unpublished essay in the history of science or technology, which is not under consideration for publication elsewhere. The prize, which is supported by Taylor & Francis, is intended for those who are currently doctoral students, or have been awarded their doctorate within the past four years. Essays should be submitted to the Editor in a form acceptable for publication in Annals of Science. See the Journal's webpage for a style guide, www.tandf.co.uk/journals/authors/tascauth.asp
The winning essay will be published in the Journal, and the author will be awarded US$500 and 1 year's free subscription to Annals of Science.
Papers should be submitted by 30th September 2009, with the winner being notified by 31st December 2009. The Editor's decision is final.

For any questions please contact Katie Chandler, Katie.Chandler@tandf.co.uk

 

V. Recently Published Books

Lenger, Friedrich (ed.): Stadt-Geschichten. Deutschland, Europa und die USA seit 1800. Peter-Lang, Frankfurt/M. a.o. 2009.
The sampler offers different studies on urbanisation and the development of cities in Europe and the United States since 1800.

Weber, Wolfhard (ed.): ICOHTEC. International Committee for the History of Technology 1968 – 2008. 2nd edition, Bochum 2009.
The book offers contributions to the history of ICOHTEC and reflects the ideas of history discussed by its founding fathers.