CfP: Space, Place and Environment: Historical Approaches

Day Conference
6 March 2010, in conjunction with International Women's Week

The Gender in History Group of the University of Southern Denmark invites proposals of papers relating to historical approaches on the theme of 'Space, Place and Environment'. Proposals should be for papers of twenty minutes, and any aspect of the theme will be considered. Contributions from postgraduates are especially encouraged. The conference language will be English.

Papers may address some of the following themes:
City and Country
Domestic and Public Space
Using/abusing the environment
Gendered Spaces
Individual and collective identities
Public history and the use of space (e.g. museums, parks etc.)

Abstracts of 200 words should be submitted to Theresa Jepsen, [email protected] by 15 January 2010.

Long exposure photography: the early years

Judging by the promotional video, the British Library's new exhibition of nineteenth-century photographs looks great. It's also inspired me to begin a series of posts here on the blog about long-exposure photography. More info after the video!



My favourite nineteenth-century photographs are the ones from the early years of the technology's development, when exposures had to be extremely long due to the photographic plates' lack of light-sensitivity. Take View from the Window at Le Gras (1826), for example: the buildings on the left and right are both in full sunlight... because the picture took eight hours to execute!



The consequence of this was that pictures of busy scenes like the one below, of the Boulevard du Temple in Paris, show streets devoid of traffic. The ten-minute exposure meant that the constantly-moving people and vehicles became no more than a faint collective blur in the final image. That is, apart from one person: a nameless man who, while having his shoes shined, became the first person in history to have their photo taken.



Come back on Monday at 1.37pm for another installment in my new series of ramblings on long-exposure photography!

Fire-proof reading

I have a recurrent dream. Well nightmare. I am sure we all have here. Your most treasured books have been irreplaceably lost in a fire. I've never seen another copy of Munro's A Sketch of the Common Good of the City of Aberdeen for sale. The solution is obvious! Print on, and bind in, asbestos. For a snip under £20,000, the Fine Books Company of Rochester are offering a complete set (of two, I hasten to add) science fiction titles printed thus. More details here. This wasn't an archival move, but more of a gimmick. My question is would you need special storage and a mask to prevent the risk of asbestosis, but presumably they'd say if it were a problem. But imagine: it could be the special collections reading room to end all reading rooms! I wonder about the idea if I ever complete my thesis. Of course, if you are not easily inflamed whilst reading, you needn't go to this expense.

CfP: Print Networks Conference 2010

THE BOOK TRADE IN EARLY MODERN BRITAIN
Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon 6-7 July 2010

Guest speakers
BERNARD CAPP, Professor of History, University of Warwick
GILES MANDELBROTE Curator, British Collections 1501-1800, The British Library

The conference theme is broadly defined and papers are invited on any aspect of the production, distribution and reception of print and manuscript in late medieval and early modern Britain, up to c.1750, and on aspects of book-trade relations within the Anglophone world.

Papers should be of up to 30 minutes' duration. A brief CV (c. 50 words) and an abstract (of c.300 words) should be submitted by 28 February 2010 to John Hinks: [email protected]. Selected papers will be published as part of the Print Networks series, edited by John Hinks and Matthew Day, published by Oak Knoll Press and the British Library.We can offer up to two Conference Fellowships to postgraduate students who wish to present a paper. Fellowships cover the cost of attending the conference and assistance towards costs of travel. An outline of the research being undertaken, together with a letter of recommendation from a tutor or supervisor, should be sent by 28 February 2010 to John Hinks: [email protected]

For the latest information on the conference visit the British Book Trade Index website: www.bbti.bham.ac.uk (then select 'Print Networks').The conference (earlier in July than usual) will be held over two full days. We shall meet in the attractive surroundings of the Shakespeare Institute, Stratford-upon-Avon. Delegates will need to book their own overnight accommodation, of which there is a wide choice in Stratford.

Conference organizer (on behalf of the 'Print Networks' committee): Dr John Hinks, Centre for Urban History, University of Leiceste,r Leicester LE1 7RH.

A spoonful of Gradschool makes the medicine go down...

So having been back from GRADschool (http://www.vitae.ac.uk/researchers/15672/GRADschools.html) for about a week now and the buzz still keeping me going at 100mph. I figured I should take the time to share the experience with you all.

As a third year PhD student I often find myself wondering about life outside the research, why people don't seem to care so much about the minutiae of 18th century urban colonies, and, how knowing the exchange rate of pounds to rupees in 1727 will ever net me my dream job. So following recommendations from several tutors and the hearty recommendation of my research council I signed up and took the short trip to Scalford Hall (reputedly the location and inspiration behind Cleudo - a house owned by a Colonel Coleman of English Mustard fame).

The next three days went by in a blur, but, I do remember several key events that made the experience a useful and enjoyable event.

Overthe course of the school we participated in several case study/role play exercises whereby we had to explore the way that real world events often unfold. So, one minute, being a chemical company that was looking to protect its profits, to next acting as a group looking to solve the problems of teenage pregnancy. Over the course of three days were pushed far outside our comfort zones. A pessimist might argue that these random examples might not hold any relevance but as an eternal optimist I'd like to take the opposite approach. These types of activities are great ways to gain confidence and to display those o' so important transferable skills that we are taught throughout our studies. Additionally, they are great in helping you understand how you might deal with situations when confronted with them personally, rather than separated from them via historical distance.

One of the major activities that came from the 4 days was the introduction to Myers-Brigg's Type Indicators (MBti for short) which we were introduced to as a form of understanding that different ways of working do not necessarily mean wrong ways of working. Though, being told that as a unique individual you are possibly similar in character to somebody else can be a bit disturbing, it did seem to have some practical uses.

Your personality type could be one of sixteen combinations and no one type is wrong or superior to another. The use of these tests and talks about MBti was that it really made me feel like I should stop worrying about whether I was working to please my superiors but whether I was working to get the job done. It gave me great comfort to know that though I may not be the consummate planner, that it is not criminal to be a little more flexible with your time than someone else (politeness and common courtesy permitting of course). As an example of this, one of my favourite activities is to just turn up in a place and explore, not have each step of the journey planned out in particular detail, but to really enjoy the freedom of letting your feet take you somewhere new. Equally, I now appreciate that some of you reading this will be shuddering over your tea and cake proclaiming me as a blasphemer against organised culture or even efficiency. But if going away to GRADschool has taught me one thing, its that that's ok.

So if your just starting a PhD or thinking that you could do with some perspective on what you'd lived, breathed and slept for a year or two. Maybe have a look at GRADschool and leave that comfort zone, even for a few hours. It'll make the remaining task ahead of you easier to swallow.

p.s my discussion of MBti is deliberately brief, its far to complex for a blog post - check it out at Wikipedia or even go to the Leicester Career people that by all accounts offer some information regarding the use of MBti.

Sound Archives, Dialects and Language

I have been looking around the British Library's Archival Sound Recordings Project Blog and there is some great stuff on there, everything from South African bird song to Indian wedding music. The fairly new blog Voices of the UK is also an intersting read and looks at the Library's audio collections of British accents and dialects. As those of you who came to the Lab's session on slang know this is a really interesting area. The BBC also has it's Voices website, which is no longer updated, but has some great stuff if you are interested in regional language and the use of English and languge in Britain.

The sins of the fathers.

"They fuck you up, your mum and dad", begins Larkin's infamous These be the verse. Barbara Cherish knew her father had done something terrible in the war, but not quite what. It was something of a taboo subject. It was only after a good deal of research that she discovered that he was Auschwitz's Kommandant, and had been tried and executed for war crimes. She's written a book dealing with discovering and coming to terms with this chilling revelation, which has been published by the History Press. You can also read a short interview with her here.

Broadside ballads, World War One, and History 2.0

Nobody could ever suggest that urban history doesn't take one to glamorous places. I was at a Curatorial Roundtable on Digitizing Broadside Ballads at the Bodleian last Friday. There were some really interesting ideas flying around, with contributions from senior staff from the Bodleian, librarians from across Europe, and yours truly, amongst a group of others. Alongside serious discussion about the problems facing digitization of these remarkable sources, we heard from those responsible for some major digitization projects at the Bodleian. This includes the Digital John Johnson collection, the originals of which live in the Bodleian. with which I was already familiar, and the First World War Poetry Archive, including the user-submitted Great War Archive, with which I was not. Blimey! This might be the best website I've ever seen. (Other than the present blog, naturally). Log on, even if you do not have one modicum of interest in this thing. They have some great resources. Everything you consider possible for a historical or archive website, they've done. Digitization, background materials, educational resources for every level from key stage one to university, twitter, facebook, forums, second life and more. This is really a lesson in what I would like to call History 2.0 ought to be done. They've even got a community forum which is outliving the funded element and people submitting material via Flickr.

Whisky galore

Whisky Galore is one my favourite black and white films. However the link is only tangential. Researchers are going to dig up two crates of Shackleton's whisky from his hut in the Antarctic o be restored and replaced. Museum conditions can be harsh, but this must be exceptional! White and Mackay are keen to get a sample and recreate this now long-forgotten blend. Historical drinkies? We'll drink to that. More at the BBC.

Clinic Session 20th November

Just a reminder about the Clinic session on Friday, please send in your questions/problems for the session. [email protected]

Emma Kimberly from the library and organiser of the Thesis Workshop will be coming along as well as Evelyn Cornell from the library. We also hope that staff and students in the room will provide their expertise.

This is a session for all you wonderful labbers and will be shaped by whatever you bring along.

This is a session for everyone, so no matter what your postgrad question or problem, get in touch!

You can also get in touch via this blog, Facebook and Twitter.

Is it the future yet?

Ahoyhoy,
On my eveningly scoot around the internet last night, I happened across this slightly exciting post on the New Scientist website.
As far as I can tell, they've taken the robot, 'Weebo' from the film, 'Flubber' (that can play you a clip of the tv show you're thinking of), and made it real. (I'm pretty sure that was the research brief at the University of California to start with).
But in all seriousness, this really is a bit of a big step forward, it'll be exciting (or worrying) to see how this technique and the clarity of the results develops

Sniff your books!

Marie sent me this rather interesting link. Apparently the smell of books indicates their state of preservation. It seems rather perverted, but sniffing your favourite antiquarian tomes is in their best interest. I'd better rush off and inhale Throsby then!

"The Africans who fought in WWII "

Here’s an interesting article from the BBC about African soldiers who fought in WWII. Over one million African troops from British, Belgian, Italian and French colonies fought in Europe, Burma and North Africa.

Historical fiction

This appeared in my inbox this afternoon from Caroline. It's meant for all the students doing HS1000, I think, but it might be of interest more generally. It's booker-winner Hilary Mantel talking about historical fiction.

Public signage typefaces

I'm reading Joe Moran's book On Roads at the moment, which contains a fascinating account of how the Transport typeface and mixed-case lettering came to be used on British road signs. Wikipedia maintains a very fine collection of functional sanserif fonts, with an interesting list of those that have been used on public signs.

Transport: British road signs




Rail Alphabet: also used in some hospitals!



Johnston: in 2008 TfL removed the serif from the number '1'



Frutiger: according to Wikipedia, Amsterdam Airport Schiphol uses Frutiger as its main font for house style and signage.



Clearview: the new typeface on the US road sign scene



All of these images are in the public domain apart from Rail Alphabet, which has attribution and copyright info here

Manchester proves popular

The trip to Manchester (see various postings, passim), has proved remarkably popular. So popular, our Chief Ticketing Clerk informs me, that there are no seats left! All fifty seats are now full. A reserve list is being prepared, and if you would still like to come, you should contact Lucy Byrne to have your name added.

History last night, music this morning!

Good morning History Lab afficionados,

I say morning, its nearly quarter past 1 in the afternoon, however, I'm a student.
Anywho, I was pootling through the city centre this morning, dodging the legions of shoppers, after buying myself a shiny new ink cartridge for my printer (essay deadline on Monday), when I saw these guys:




Did anyone else see 'String Fever'? weren't they good? Its the first time I've ever stopped and applauded a busker, though I guess they were technically publicising seeing as they had cds and dvds on sale, but you know what I mean. Nonetheless, I feel highly cultured after last night's Lab-y retreats into the industrial elites, iron-age shiny things, and jews in sport, and this morning's brief history of music, good work all!

CFP: Transcending the boundaries

The New History Lab is proud to announce the following CFP.

On Saturday 30 January 2010 the School of Historical Studies at the University of Leicester will host a one-day workshop on 'Transcending the Boundaries: doctoral research across disciplines'.

The workshop aims to attract research students from a variety of academic disciplines, with the intention of building lasting connections between approaches, projects, departments and universities. There will be sessions on themes such as 'Art, material culture and the built environment', 'Conceptual approaches to research' and 'Sources: old and new'. We would like to hear from PhD students whose work relates to these themes, and whose research engages with material or ideas from outside the obvious confines of their discipline. While the workshop will have a substantial historical focus, speakers should not be hindered by this requirement.

Papers will be 20 minutes long and should discuss research conducted by the presenter and be of interest to historians - but beyond that, be creative! Abstracts should be submitted to Matt Neale ([email protected]) by Friday 4 December 2009. Funding for travel costs incurred in attending the workshop will be available.

CFP: Museum Studies

From our friends at the attic.

Materiality and Intangibility: Contested Zones (2nd call for participation)
A two-day international symposium and live art event for PhD students and early career researchers.
Monday 14th and Tuesday 15th December 2009.
University of Leicester, UK.

Join us at the internationally-renowned School of Museum Studies this December for an exciting event organised and run by PhD students, Materiality and Intangibility: Contested Zones.

Museums and galleries are all about the material world; the preservation and display, presentation and interpretation of things to their audiences, which can include everything from everyday objects to works of art and human remains. Yet, often it is the 'intangible' elements of things - those elements that may be hidden or left unsaid - from which we draw our meanings and understandings about things. A division is often made between the obvious (the 'material') and the less obvious (the 'intangible'), a division which we believe is controversial and which often prevents the full value of material culture from being understood.

Through a series of thought-provoking presentations, specially selected for their unique and creative approach to the theme, Materiality and Intangibility: Contested Zones will challenge this fixed division between the surface and the hidden. Throughout the event, invited artists will be producing artworks in response to the theme of the Symposium and participants will be encouraged to interact and engage with presenters and artists. The event will provide an informal and supportive environment for creative thinking and opportunities for debate and the shaping of new ideas as well as dialogue between academia and the art environment.

Confirmed key note speakers: Emeritus Professor Susan Pearce, Dr Sandra Dudley and Dr Kostas Arvanitis.

The symposium and live art event costs just £20 for both days, including lunch and refreshments.

BOOKING FORM: http://attic-museumstudies.blogspot.com/2009/09/symposium-announcement-materialiry.html

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME: http://attic-museumstudies.blogspot.com/2009/10/materiality-intangibility-provisional.html

Please refer any queries to Amy Barnes ([email protected]).

"History books re-written twenty years after fall of Berlin Wall"

Here's an interesting article from the Telegraph about the teaching of history in eastern Europe. The chanaging nature of textbooks in the former states of the Soviet Union are redefining how students are learning about the history of Communism.

Textbooks in Poland, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic now include information on anti-communism, as well as the expulsions and executions that occured during the communist regimes.

"In Latvia, what was once called 'the voluntary incorporation' of countries in the former Soviet bloc, is now qualified as a Soviet 'occupation'. The deportation of tens of thousands of Latvians to Soviet camps in 1941 and 1949, once unheard of, is also now part of the school curriculum."

But despite this 'objectivity', teachers are still having to cope with the clash between history and memory "history books still fail to beat the vivid accounts of that period that students hear from their parents". One Romanian teacher states, "Eighty per cent of adults were nostalgic about the Communist era, when there was no unemployment or financial problems."

Another first for the NHL blog

I regularly post findings of historical interest from my usual paper, the FT. But I've never seen anything in 'Companies and Markets' which has been suitable for the blog before. That changed today. There are concerns about monopoly within the genealogical website sector. The idea of linking lots of the data together, on the other hand, seems a rather good idea. This is very much unknown territory for me, as despite the expectations of elderly relatives, I have no real knowledge of this at all. But family history is big business, and looks set to get bigger.

Good bibliographical news

If you haven't already heard, the library has recognised the importance of the RHS bibliography to students. After a very helpful meeting between Louise Jones, Evelyn Cornell, and Professor Sweet, the Library will be funding the RHS bibliography in its new incarnation as the Bibliography of British and Irish History from January 2010.  They are fully aware of how important this resource is to our studies and appreciate the support you have shown for it recently. They have asked Roey to reassure us that no decision concerning the funding of an important resource like this would be taken without wider consultation.

So search away, and thanks to the library for responding so graciously and with such celerity to this important issue.

ANDREW MARR'S TIRED OLD HISTORY

Is anyone out there watching Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain? I cant bear to think how much it must cost to make this tired old stuff. I bet it comes to more than keeping the whole School going for three months. I certainly KNOW that it will have a bigger budget than NEW HISTORY LAB because NEW HISTORY LAB doesnt have a budget at all. And consider what you get from Marr. Nice pictures underlined by historical cliches punched home by a view of the past dominated by Marr's view of the present. he's abright chap so why does he do this stuff? What can be the fun of saying what everybody else has said only saying it with punch? And consider what you got blast week from NEW HISTORY LAB. Gavin Kitching, a professor at the top of his game, making an entirely original pitch to an audience who were taking in every word - and even had the chance to take him on at the end of it.

Come on, boys and gals! Let's hear it for universities! And come on BBC! dare saying something original for once (and not with a celebrity saying it!)

Clinic Session 20th November

I hope you are enjoying the Lab’s seminar series this term and hearing from all our fantastic speakers. Now it is your chance to be involved. As you may have seen on our posters, the Lab on the 20^th November is called ‘Clinic’. This is your opportunity to bring your research problems and questions to the Lab and get advice from staff and fellow students. For example,

· Are you having trouble finding sources?

· Baffled by a theoretical quandary?

· Or maybe looking for advice on managing your time

We’d love to hear from postgraduates at all stages of their research, MA and PhD students, but as you know everyone is welcome at the Lab and anyone is welcome to put forward a question.

At the New History Lab we have always tried to provide a friendly and approachable place for postgrads to meet and discuss research and we hope that this seminar will allow Labbers to be involved and shape a Lab session.

If you would like to be involved and put forward a question or problem please email me ([email protected]). Also feel free to submit questions via Twitter, Facebook and this blog.

I hope to hear from you soon.

Evington

I went over to Evington on Saturday to take some pictures: there are loads of really nice factories over there, and an awful lot of signs.