Call for Papers | Legacies of War and Violence 2024
Deadline for Submissions: 30 June 2024
The Society for the History of War invites proposals for a conference on the Legacies of War and Violence. The Conference is in collaboration with the Deputy Ministry of Culture and the Museum of the National Struggle of the Republic of Cyprus, the Department of History and Archaeology of the University of Cyprus, the Department of Politics and Governance of the University of Nicosia, and the Council of Historic Memory of the EOKA Struggle 1955-1959. The Conference will be held in Nicosia, Cyprus, at the University of Cyprus Library (Stelios Ioannou Learning Resource Center) on 28-29 November 2024.
Keynote Speaker
About
The impact of war and violence lingers long after hostilities cease. Historians specialising in armed conflicts, wars, violence, post-conflict reconstruction, conflict resolution, and related subjects, delve into the enduring legacies of war and violence, including how these conflicts conclude, how states, societies, and their militaries grapple with their aftermath, and how domestic and international institutions learn from experiences in past conflicts. The process of drawing lessons from these historical conflicts has a significant impact on how contemporary and future conflicts are conceived, designed, and conducted. Moreover, researchers explore processes of contestation, where the current impact of a war is perceived differently across segments of today’s society and indeed among different societies involved in the conflict, either directly or indirectly. This is evident in ongoing debates over the lasting impact of the violent end of empires, especially in the long 20th century. Historians specializing in violence also explore reconciliation processes and the role of memory/ies and trauma, as well as the enduring legacy of the cultural foundations of violence, particularly in imperial settings. With research exploring the profound and enduring consequences left by armed conflicts on individuals, communities, and entire nations, understanding these implications – from the psychological scars on survivors to the socio-economic disruptions persisting long after hostilities cease – is crucial for producing new knowledge, fostering empathy, informing policy, and even attempting to prevent the recurrence of conflict. The examination of war legacies sheds light on the complexities of post-war reconstruction, reconciliation, and peacebuilding.
This year, the conference is scheduled to take place in Nicosia, Cyprus. 2024 holds particular significance and bears symbolic meaning for Cyprus, as it marks the 50th anniversary of the Turkish military invasion in 1974 and the ongoing occupation of the northern part of the island. For the local organizing committee, bringing SHoW to Nicosia presents both an opportunity and a challenge to share and discuss among experts, the ongoing research on the island’s conflict-ridden modern history and its current implications. This includes examining its experience of violent decolonization from colonial rule and grappling with legacies of the 1974 war, violence, loss, displacement, and lingering trauma. Yet, in the latter case, it also encompasses visions of coexistence in the absence of an agreed settlement, as well as efforts for a fair resolution, reconciliation, and reunification.
In this conference, continuing the tradition of previous SHoW conferences held in Amsterdam (2022) and Lisbon (2023), we aim to enhance discussions among historians of war and violence. Our goal is to intertwine scholarly and interdisciplinary inquiries, foster intellectual exchange and cross-cultural dialogue, and commit to addressing persisting (current and/or historical) issues. This approach will facilitate the exploration, discussion, and deconstruction of diverse empirical, methodological, and interdisciplinary perspectives in the study of war and violence. The event not only facilitates the dissemination of new research, but also cultivates a global network of experts dedicated to addressing the enduring challenges posed by the legacies of war and violence.
In this Call for Proposals, we welcome submissions for papers or panels that will allow us to gain new insights into how legacies of war and violence are represented and understood across time and space.
Conference Topics
Conference topics include the following:
- Contested histories of war and violence;
- Frozen conflicts, cease-fires and other forms of temporary or longer-term interruptions of war and violence;
- The ends of war and the transitions to peace;
- Shapers of legacies of war and violence at individual, group and societal levels;
- Challenges to accepted legacies of war and violence;
- “Lessons learned” and other forms of path dependency in thinking and performing war and violence;
- Refugees and migration in the aftermath of war;
- Exploring the psychological legacies of war and violence;
- Gender perspectives in post-conflict recovery;
- Memorializing the past: monuments, museums and memory;
- Rebuilding communities: post-war resilience and recovery;
- The impact of technology on conflict and post-conflict environments;
- Narratives of past and ongoing violence in the era of disinformation;
- Impact of conflict on education;
- Media narratives: shaping public perception of war legacies;
- Media ethics in conflict reporting;
- Human rights advocacy: ensuring justice for war victims;
- Ethical dilemmas: balancing security and civil liberties;
- Ethical dilemmas in humanitarian interventions;
- Reconciliation and justice in post-war societies;
- War-torn landscapes: Ecological and environmental consequences of war;
- Mental health in post-conflict zones;
- Post-conflict diplomacy: Navigating International Relations;
- Building resilient societies: Lessons from successful post-conflict recoveries;
- Building resilient societies: Lessons from unsuccessful conflict resolution efforts;
- Refugee crises;
- Cultural preservation and heritage protection in conflict zones.
We would particularly welcome early innovative and/or interdisciplinary methodological approaches that aim to highlight the range and complexity of challenges faced when studying violence and war, as well as contributions by scholars who otherwise would not call themselves historians.
Submission Process
We welcome proposals for individual papers or for themed panels. Postgraduate students are explicitly encouraged to participate in panels or to submit their own panel proposals or individual papers. The conference is intended to offer a constructive environment in which to present work in progress to a specialist audience.
Panels will last for 90 minutes each and should have three speakers and a chair. Each paper should be no longer than 20 minutes to leave sufficient time for discussion.
Individual paper proposals must include a paper title, a 300-word abstract of the paper, and a one-page CV with current contact information / email address. If accepted, individual papers will be assigned by the program committee to an appropriate panel with a chair and commentator.
Panel proposals must include a panel title and 300-word abstract summarizing the theme of the panel; a paper title and a 300-word abstract for each proposed paper proposed; and a one-page CV for each panellist (including the chair and commentator).
Roundtable proposals must include a roundtable title, a 300-word abstract summarizing the roundtable’s themes and points of discussion, and a one-page CV for each participant (including the chair / moderator).
The deadline for proposals is 30 June 2024. Please send all the relevant paperwork to [email protected] making it clear that you are responding to this particular CfP. The conference organisers will make a decision on the final programme by 31st August 2024 at the latest.
Travel Bursaries
SHoW is a small society of volunteers. We are committed to promoting and developing equality, diversity and inclusivity through our work and to ensuring that our events are accessible, welcoming and collegiate. To this end, for this year’s Conference we have secured three travel bursaries of 350 EUR sponsored by our co-organiser in Cyprus, the Council of Historic Memory of the EOKA Struggle 1955-1959, to support the participation of scholars from groups and institutions who are currently underrepresented in the field. We are particularly keen to support applications from scholars based in the global south and from others whose participation will help to ensure a plurality of voices. To apply for a travel bursary, applicants should submit a brief cover letter, explaining how their participation will help to achieve our goals, together with a CV and a copy of their abstract (as a single document).
Attendance Fees
The conference is organised on a not-for-profit basis. Attendance costs to participate in the conference are to cover daily refreshments and lunch. We hope to organise a conference dinner if there is enough interest. Members of the Society for the History of War receive a discounted attendance fee as will new joiners. Participants may attend without joining SHoW.
Conference fees:
- SHoW members: 75 EUR
- Non-members: 100 EUR
We will attempt to identify hotels with discounted rates and will advise on this once the programme is complete.
Contact Info
For more information, please contact the Society for the History of War via e-mail or visit the website.
Organizing Committee
Maria Hadjiathanasiou | Museum of the National Struggle and University of Nicosia
Graça Almeida Borges | DHAH-Autonomous University of Lisbon and CIDEHUS-University of Évora
Matthew Ford | Swedish Defence University
Samuël Kruizinga | University of Amsterdam
Constantinos Adamides | University of Nicosia
Petros Papapolyviou | University of Cyprus
