Call for Papers – Interwoven Societies, International EuroWeb Conference in Lübeck, DE – DEADLINE EXTENDED

Interwoven Societies – International EuroWeb Conference

European Hansemuseum Lübeck

14th – 17th November 2022

Organizers: Angela Huang & Joana Sequeira

Textiles and their trade have long determined how people live together. Far-flung areas have been linked for centuries by trade in cloth. The textile industry is and has been a central factor in European economic development and had great impact on societies. The textile industry stands for market economy, innovation and prosperity, but also for dependency, unfair work and ecologic problems.

We invite participants to join our conference on Interwoven Societies from 14th to 17th November 2022 in Lübeck, to explore the broader impact of textile industries on societies. Current debates about fair work and sustainability in a global economy very much centre around textiles, their production, marketing and trade – this conference wants to look further back in how textiles influence societies and their relationship to one another. We would like to bring together international researchers for an interdisciplinary conference between economic and social history, archaeology, art history and anthropology.

Specifically, we invite case studies on aspects as: Consumption via the market and trade; conspicuous consumption; the role of textiles in urbanization and specialization processes; technical and other innovations in production and trade (tools, institutions etc.); working conditions; the emergence and nature of ‘supply chains’; the quality of relationships between regions and continents; how the textile industry influences economic policies on a large scale (protectionism); the role of textiles in the growth and welfare of societies; establishment and enforcement of gender roles. Papers addressing other topics but contributing to the general interest of the conference are of course also welcome. Locating the case studies within a theoretical framework is encouraged to promote a comparative discussion.

The Research Centre for Hanse and Baltic History (FGHO) conducts and coordinates historical and interdisciplinary research on the German Hanse and related topics, in the former sphere of Hanse trade, stretching from Portugal to Russia. Therefore, we particularly invite papers on premodern Europe in a first age of commercialisation (14th to 18th c.). At this time major changes occurred in European societies: Trade picked up its pace, communication increased and private consumption accelerated – a proto-industry emerged. We aim at connecting the developments in the Hanse era and region to other textile economies.

The conference is part of the COST Action Group “EuroWeb – Europe through Textiles”, which aims to research textiles interdisciplinary and intersectional. Interwoven Societies will take place in Lübeck, where at the same time the exhibition Good Stuff. Textile Worlds from the Hanse Era to the Present is on display at the European Hansemuseum and will be visited as part of the conference programme. We cover travel and accommodation costs (EuroWeb for its members; the Research Centre for further participants).

We welcome 20-minute papers. Please submit an abstract of up to one A4 page by the 15th of May 2022. Selected papers will be published in 2023 (printed and/or online Open Access). If you would like to be included in the conference proceedings, please let us know when submitting your proposal. Please also note that we would like to discuss the working papers/ article drafts during the conference. We do not expect complete papers, but a ‘work in progress’ presentation is encouraged.

Contact

E-Mail: info@fgho.eu

You can also find the Call for Papers here.