This might be of interest to folks who are studying "elite networks":
Call for Papers
Annual Meeting of the Business History Conference
In Conjunction with the Académie François Bourdon
"Networks"
18-20 June 2004, Le Creusot, France
On 18-20 June 2004, the Business History Conference (BHC) will host its
annual meeting in Le Creusot, France.
The BHC is the leading scholarly organization in the United States for the
study of business history. Le Creusot is a major center for the study of
France's industrial heritage, and the home of the Académie François
Bourdon. The Académie is an independent research institute that maintains
an archive with many collections on topics in European business
history. The Académie also maintains several buildings that were once part
of the Schneider Works, long a leading manufacturer of steel, armaments,
and metal products. The conference will take place at the Académie, as
well as at a nearby château. Le Creusot is located 250 kilometers
southeast of Paris, and is a gateway to the culturally rich Burgundy
region. It is easily reached from Paris by high-speed train.
Conference Theme
The theme of the conference is "networks." In the past few years,
networks of various kinds have engaged the attention of business
historians. Students of the so-called network industries in
communications, transportation, energy, and finance have moved beyond the
firm and the industry to make networks a focus of inquiry. Other kinds of
networks--rooted in geography, professional ties, mutual self-interest, or
shared values (such as religious affiliation or educational
background)--have figured prominently in recent work on innovation,
industrial regions, trade associations, cartels, and enterprises run by
women and minorities.
The program committee welcomes proposals that explore business networks,
broadly construed. The committee is particularly interested in scholarship
that is grounded in research in business archives, trade journals, oral
histories, or other primary sources. Among the questions that presenters
might wish to consider are the following:
· How and to what extent can a focus on networks illuminate central
themes in business history?
· How and to what extent can a focus on networks complement the
traditional preoccupation of business historians with firms and industries?
· How and to what extent can the study of networks build bridges
between business history and other areas of inquiry?
· How and to what extent can the study of networks alter our
understanding of the boundaries between business and society?
Note: In keeping with a longstanding tradition of the BHC, the program
committee will also entertain submissions on topics that are NOT directly
related to the conference theme.
PRIZES
Each year, the Business History Conference awards the Herman E. Krooss
Prize to an outstanding dissertation in business history completed in the
past three years. The Krooss Prize Committee welcomes submissions from
recent Ph.D.'s (2001-4) in history, business administration, the history of
science and technology, economics, law, and related fields. If you would
like to participate in this competition (and present at the conference),
please indicate this in a cover letter, and include a one-page vitae and
one-page dissertation abstract.
The Business History Conference also awards the K. Austin Kerr Prize for
the best first paper presented by a Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D.
(2001-4). If you wish to participate in this competition, please indicate
this in your paper proposal. Proposals accepted for the dissertation
session are not eligible for the Kerr Prize.
Submission Procedures
Potential presenters may submit proposals either for individual papers or
for entire panels. Individual paper proposals should include a one-page
abstract and a one-page curriculum vitae. The abstract should summarize
the argument of the paper, the sources on which it is based, and its
relationship to existing scholarship. Each panel proposal should include a
cover letter stating the rationale for the session, a one-page abstract and
vitae for each proposed paper (up to three), and list of suggested chairs
and commentators.
Graduate students who would like to have their dissertations discussed in
an informal yet informed dissertation-in-progress workshop should indicate
this in a cover letter, and include a one-page vitae and one-page
dissertation abstract.
The deadline for the receipt of all proposals is 1 October 2003. All
presenters are expected to submit abstracts of their papers for posting on
the Business History Conference's web site. In addition, presenters are
encouraged to post electronic versions of their papers prior to the
meeting. Graduate students whose papers are accepted for inclusion in the
program are eligible for travel grants to help defray the cost of their
attendance.
The program committee consists of Richard R. John (chair), University of
Illinois at Chicago; Patrick Fridenson, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en
Sciences Sociales, Paris; JoAnne Yates, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology; Reggie Blaszczyk, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia;
and Philippe Mioche, University of Aix-Marseille I.
The chair of the Krooss Prize Committee is Andrew Godley, University of
Reading, United Kingdom. The chair of the Kerr Prize Committee is Janet
Greenlees, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Please send all proposals to Roger Horowitz, secretary-treasurer, Business
History Conference, P. O. Box 3630, Wilmington, DE 19807,
USA. Phone: (302) 658-2400; fax: (302) 655-3188; email rh@udel.edu
Call for Papers
Annual Meeting of the Business History Conference
In Conjunction with the Académie François Bourdon
"Networks"
18-20 June 2004, Le Creusot, France
On 18-20 June 2004, the Business History Conference (BHC) will host its
annual meeting in Le Creusot, France.
The BHC is the leading scholarly organization in the United States for the
study of business history. Le Creusot is a major center for the study of
France's industrial heritage, and the home of the Académie François
Bourdon. The Académie is an independent research institute that maintains
an archive with many collections on topics in European business
history. The Académie also maintains several buildings that were once part
of the Schneider Works, long a leading manufacturer of steel, armaments,
and metal products. The conference will take place at the Académie, as
well as at a nearby château. Le Creusot is located 250 kilometers
southeast of Paris, and is a gateway to the culturally rich Burgundy
region. It is easily reached from Paris by high-speed train.
Conference Theme
The theme of the conference is "networks." In the past few years,
networks of various kinds have engaged the attention of business
historians. Students of the so-called network industries in
communications, transportation, energy, and finance have moved beyond the
firm and the industry to make networks a focus of inquiry. Other kinds of
networks--rooted in geography, professional ties, mutual self-interest, or
shared values (such as religious affiliation or educational
background)--have figured prominently in recent work on innovation,
industrial regions, trade associations, cartels, and enterprises run by
women and minorities.
The program committee welcomes proposals that explore business networks,
broadly construed. The committee is particularly interested in scholarship
that is grounded in research in business archives, trade journals, oral
histories, or other primary sources. Among the questions that presenters
might wish to consider are the following:
· How and to what extent can a focus on networks illuminate central
themes in business history?
· How and to what extent can a focus on networks complement the
traditional preoccupation of business historians with firms and industries?
· How and to what extent can the study of networks build bridges
between business history and other areas of inquiry?
· How and to what extent can the study of networks alter our
understanding of the boundaries between business and society?
Note: In keeping with a longstanding tradition of the BHC, the program
committee will also entertain submissions on topics that are NOT directly
related to the conference theme.
PRIZES
Each year, the Business History Conference awards the Herman E. Krooss
Prize to an outstanding dissertation in business history completed in the
past three years. The Krooss Prize Committee welcomes submissions from
recent Ph.D.'s (2001-4) in history, business administration, the history of
science and technology, economics, law, and related fields. If you would
like to participate in this competition (and present at the conference),
please indicate this in a cover letter, and include a one-page vitae and
one-page dissertation abstract.
The Business History Conference also awards the K. Austin Kerr Prize for
the best first paper presented by a Ph.D. candidate or recent Ph.D.
(2001-4). If you wish to participate in this competition, please indicate
this in your paper proposal. Proposals accepted for the dissertation
session are not eligible for the Kerr Prize.
Submission Procedures
Potential presenters may submit proposals either for individual papers or
for entire panels. Individual paper proposals should include a one-page
abstract and a one-page curriculum vitae. The abstract should summarize
the argument of the paper, the sources on which it is based, and its
relationship to existing scholarship. Each panel proposal should include a
cover letter stating the rationale for the session, a one-page abstract and
vitae for each proposed paper (up to three), and list of suggested chairs
and commentators.
Graduate students who would like to have their dissertations discussed in
an informal yet informed dissertation-in-progress workshop should indicate
this in a cover letter, and include a one-page vitae and one-page
dissertation abstract.
The deadline for the receipt of all proposals is 1 October 2003. All
presenters are expected to submit abstracts of their papers for posting on
the Business History Conference's web site. In addition, presenters are
encouraged to post electronic versions of their papers prior to the
meeting. Graduate students whose papers are accepted for inclusion in the
program are eligible for travel grants to help defray the cost of their
attendance.
The program committee consists of Richard R. John (chair), University of
Illinois at Chicago; Patrick Fridenson, Ecole des Hautes Etudes en
Sciences Sociales, Paris; JoAnne Yates, Massachusetts Institute of
Technology; Reggie Blaszczyk, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia;
and Philippe Mioche, University of Aix-Marseille I.
The chair of the Krooss Prize Committee is Andrew Godley, University of
Reading, United Kingdom. The chair of the Kerr Prize Committee is Janet
Greenlees, University of Manchester, United Kingdom.
Please send all proposals to Roger Horowitz, secretary-treasurer, Business
History Conference, P. O. Box 3630, Wilmington, DE 19807,
USA. Phone: (302) 658-2400; fax: (302) 655-3188; email rh@udel.edu
