Bulletin

History Lab Bulletin 18
April 2012

Dear all,
See below for projects and events that may be of
interest to History Lab members.
In this issue:
Next in History Lab
Research Training
Workshop
Conference
Seminar Series
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Next in History Lab:
Meet the historian: John Arnold, Thursday 3 May, 18:00 – 20:00, Room
S261, Senate House
'Meet the Historian’ events are an opportunity to
hear at first hand from noted historians how and why they became historians in
the first place, their thoughts on research and the discipline generally, and
about their latest work. There will be the chance to ask questions and enter
into discussion, and to join the speaker for drinks after the talk.
Call for Papers: The History Lab Seminar invites papers for the
2012-13 academic year. The seminar is a great opportunity to present your
ongoing work or research conclusions to fellow postgraduates and early career
historians in a relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
Papers can be on any aspect or time period of
historical study. They should be either 40 to 45 minutes long or we welcome the
submission of joint seminars with two papers of 20 to 25 minutes duration (even
if the two topics are loosely related). All seminars are followed by a
discussion session lasting around 15 minutes. The seminars are a great way to
socialise with historians who are at similar stages in their careers, and as
such the seminars always finish with drinks (and there are frequent post-seminar
pub visits).

If you are interested, please send an abstract of
between 250 and 350 words outlining your proposed paper to the seminar convenors
at postgraduateearlycareerseminar@gmail.com. Please include some brief information
about the stage you are at in your studies and research interests. Seminars take
place at the Institute of Historical Research (Senate House, London).
We are able
to podcast the seminars on our website. Therefore, please indicate in your
submission whether you are willing to have your paper
recorded.
The deadline for submission is 7th May 2012.

Methods Workshop: Putting historical theory
into practice: Wednesday 9
May, 10:00 – 17:00, University
of Roehampton, Roehampton Lane, London SW15 5PU
A one-day study day organised by the Centre for
History and Theory at Roehampton University and History Lab
This study day is directed towards postgraduate
(Masters and doctoral) students who wish to look at current historical theory
and the ways in which theory can be used in producing historical research. It is
made up of a series of interactive workshops in which academics from Roehampton
introduce theoretical ideas which have influenced their own historical work and
explore the ways in which these ideas can be deployed in writing dissertations,
articles and books. The focus of the day will very much be on the practical
value of theory and there will be ample opportunities for students to reflect on
and discuss the role of theory in their own work.
Programme:
10.0-10.30 - Registration
10.30 – 11.15: John Tosh: 'Paradigms for the
perplexed' – How historians handle explanatory theories
11.15 – 12.15: Krisztina Robert: ‘The spatial
turn’ - How spatial theory and analysis can be used in historical
research
12.15 – 1.15: Lunch
1.15 – 2. 0: Susan Deacy and Fiona McHardy: ‘New
approaches to the history of violence’ – with a special focus on ancient
Greece
2.0-2.45: Sara Pennell: ‘History and material
culture’: Looking at the way in which theoretical ideas have migrated to History
from Archaeology and Anthropology
2.45-3.30: Carrie Hamilton: ‘History and
intersectionality’ – drawing on theory from feminism and critical race
theory
3.30-4.0: Tea
4.0-5.0: Round table on ‘Historiography and
Historical theory now’ led by Antonio Cartolano
UPDATE: This event is now fully
booked.
If you would like to be added to the waiting
list:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/embeddedform?formkey=dFplbVMyMjNkb0E3c0dvNS1zTjFGM3c6MQ
Seminar: Mark King/Claire Fetherstonhaugh (Cambridge) –
Aspects of Governance in the Early Reign of Richard II: Richard II’s use of the
Signet and Privy Seals during the 1380s./The Earls in Government During the
Minority of Richard II, Thursday 17 May, 17:30 – 19:30, Holden Room (Room 103),
Senate House
For more
information, see: http://www.history.ac.uk/events/event/3723
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Research training
Institute of Historical
Research: Explanatory Paradigms: An Introduction
to Historical Theory, Wednesdays 2 May - 4 July 2012, Course fee: £220, Course tutors: Prof John Tosh,
Dr John Seed, Prof Sally Alexander

The aim of this short
course is to provide a critical introduction to some of the most influential
frameworks of explanation in historical work today. It is intended for those
beginning a research degree in history. The days are long past when a technical
orientation to source criticism was considered sufficient training for PhD/MPhil
students. Today most of the key controversies in historical scholarship turn on
the credibility of contrasting explanatory paradigms. Hence some familiarity in
this area is a prerequisite both for evaluating the secondary literature, and
for determining the direction of the research itself.

In this course three
historians examine specific paradigms. John Seed considers the continuing
importance of Marxism, both in its classical materialist form and in its
rendition as ‘history from below’. He then examines the implications for history
of recent theories of ideology and discourse. Sally Alexander evaluates the
growing salience of psychoanalysis in historical enquiry. John Tosh assesses the
claims of gender not only to uncover new subject matter, but to provide a
powerful explanatory tool. John Seed returns to consider some of the theoretical
implications of narrative, through the work of Paul Ricoeur. In a concluding
session we will discuss how these theoretical positions have influenced our own
scholarly work. The course is organised as a term of ten weekly sessions to be
held in the IHR on Wednesday afternoons (5.30 - 7.30).

For more information, see: http://www.history.ac.uk/research-training/courses/historical-theory
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Workshop
Financing Archaeology: The Economic History of
Archaeology - perspectives of the past for the future, Wednesday 2 May 2012, 9.30 - 18:00,
UCL Institute of Archaeology, 31-34 Gordon Square,
London, WC1H 0PY. Reception to follow

Free tickets can be
reserved here: http://financingarchaeologyinthepast.eventbrite.co.uk/

The workshop will address
directly the issue of funding in archaeology at a time when funding for research
is in jeopardy. By taking a long-range view of the ways in which archaeologists
have dealt with limited funding (particularly government funding) in the past,
the workshop will provide a historical background to current economic debates on
funding and archaeology, tying the historical context firmly to the modern day.
It also will also provide a platform for discussing public engagement in
archaeology, and the (economic) value of archaeology in a broader social and
political context.

Speakers and titles
include:

Rachael Sparks,
Publicising
Petrie
Sara Perry, Visual economies and the foundation of
the Institute of Archaeology (London)
Gabriel Moshenska,
Exchanging Mummies:
networks, finance and public display
David Clarke, Financing Heritage: Excavation,
Acquisition, Display and the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland in the late
19th
and early
20thcenturies
Chris Naunton,"...of universal, profound and very
touching interest. My topic is money." The Egypt Exploration Fund and the
financial imperative
Tim Schadla-Hall,
Funding in the future- old
ideas – new clothes
Kenneth Aitchison,
Developer Funding for
Archaeology – A Contemporary History
Thomas Kiely, Penny wise, pound foolish? The finances
of the British Museum excavations on Cyprus 1893–1899
_________________________________________________
Conference
Revealing Records IV.
Friday, 25 May Council Room, King's College London.

Registration is now open
for Revealing Records IV, a one-day postgraduate research conference on medieval
records to be held at the Strand campus of King's College London. Featuring
keynote papers from Professor Simon Keynes (Cambridge) and Dr Serena Ferente
(King's), alongside ten papers from doctoral students, RRIV will cover a wide
range of geographically and chronologically diverse source material.
Registration is £10, which includes refreshments, lunch, and reception.
Please send contact details (including email) with a
cheque payable to ‘King’s College London’ to Dhwani Patel, Department of
History, King’s College London, Strand, London, WC2R 2LS by 11 May
2012.

For more see:
http://www.kcl.ac.uk/artshums/depts/history/eventrecords/revealing.aspx
_________________________________________________
Seminar Series
Bart’s Hospital Pathology Museum Spring Seminar
Series 2012, The Pathology Museum, 3rd Floor Robin Brook
Centre (outpatients entrance), Bart’s Hospital site, West Smithfield,
London EC1M 6BQ,
t: 020
7882 8766 or 2216
For more information see http://springseries.eventbrite.co.uk/
Drinks and nibbles will be served from 6:00pm for
a 6:30pm start.
Courtauld
Institute - Summer Term Research Seminars
For more, see:
http://www.courtauld.ac.uk/researchforum/calendar.shtml
_________________________________________________
-- Regards,The History Lab
team.Web: www.history.ac.uk/historylabEmail: ihrhistorylab@googlemail.comBlog: http://the-history-lab.blogspot.com