CFP: Frontiers in Political Thought: Non-Western, International and Global

‘FRONTIERS IN POLITICAL THOUGHT: NON-WESTERN, INTERNATIONAL AND GLOBAL’

7TH CAMBRIDGE GRADUATE CONFERENCE IN POLITICAL THOUGHT AND INTELLECTUAL HISTORY 

St. John’s College, University of Cambridge, 17-18 April 2014

Keynote speaker: Professor David Armitage (Harvard)

Paper proposals are invited for the 7th Cambridge Graduate Conference in Political Thought and Intellectual History, themed ‘Frontiers in Political Thought: Non-Western, International and Global’.

There will be a keynote address from Professor David Armitage of Harvard University, whose publications include Foundations of Modern International Thought (2013), The Declaration of Independence: A Global History (2007), and The Ideological Origins of the British Empire (2000).

This conference aims to explore the burgeoning fields of non-western, international and global political thought, facilitating discussion of the work of a broad range of graduate students in a collegial and supportive atmosphere. As such, the theme will be interpreted broadly.

We invite papers on the history of political ideas in Asia, Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Arabic-speaking world. Bringing together researchers working on the histories of different regions, the conference hopes to foster contrasts and comparisons between political theories developed in specific regional historical contexts. Possible topics include theories of the state, society, constitutional order, civilisation, nationalism, political economy, imperialism, jurisprudence, gender, and the relationship of religion and politics.

In addition, the conference welcomes papers from those working on Western political thought, whether relating to the non-Western world (once again, interpreted broadly), or to the history of international and global political thought, both recently developed and contested fields of research. Papers are welcome on all periods, from antiquity to the present.

The University of Cambridge has a long-standing reputation for the study of the history of political thought. Those presenting at the conference will receive feedback from members of the History Faculty, including those in the Political Thought and Intellectual History Group, as well as the various Cambridge University area-study centres and faculties.

Participants will be invited to present their work as part of themed panels, followed by a response and a question and answer session. Accommodation will be provided for speakers subject to distance and availability. An effort will be made to subsidise travel costs.

Please send an abstract of max. 500 words and an academic CV to[email protected]. The deadline for submission is 17 January 2014. You will receive information on whether your paper has been accepted by 24 January 2014.

2014 Conference Committee:

Harry Dadswell
Faridah Zaman
Kenzie Bok
Ben Slingo
Nick Mulder
Ben Hand