The ConIH Committee invites graduate students to submit proposals for the Ninth Annual Graduate Student Conference on International History (ConIH 9), to take place at Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on March 13-14, 2009.

Nature, as a concept, as a category of analysis, as a scientific and intellectual object of study, cannot be circumscribed by political demarcations. Instead, the historical study of nature is best served by an international and interdisciplinary framework. Nature underlies events, evolutions, and transformations that have an impact that goes far beyond traditional national and temporal borders. Yet our understanding of the interconnections between nature and international affairs remains under-explored. ConIH aims to promote the serious treatment of nature in international history while encouraging specialists in environmental studies, the history of science and medicine, and diverse other fields to take further account of transnational and comparative topics.

We welcome submissions that examine nature in its many international dimensions. Possible paper topics include, but are not limited to, changing conceptions of nature, population control, the history of disease, ecological transformations, the impact of climate on different cultures and civilizations, the management of natural resources, natural phenomena and societal transformations, natural catastrophes, empire and nature.

There are no temporal or geographic limits to this theme. We expect the conference to cover a diversity of topics that will look at populations from all parts of the world, as well as at ancient, pre-modern, modern, and contemporary contexts. Papers will be selected on the basis of their strength, novelty of subject and interpretation, and utility as bases for historical comparison.

ConIH welcomes innovative research approaches and agendas. Particular attention will be given to papers developing comparative perspectives – both geographical and temporal – and utilizing multi-archival research bases. Commentary on papers will be provided by specialists from Harvard and beyond. The conference will conclude with a plenary session, at which several leading scholars in the field of international & world history will discuss broad issues pertaining to the theme of the conference.

Graduate students who are interested in participating in the conference should submit a one-page paper proposal and one-page curriculum vita (in Word, RTF, or PDF format) to conih@fas.harvard.edu. Proposals must be received by November 20, 2008, in order to be considered. Notification of acceptance will be made in December.

For additional information about the conference, please contact the conference organizers at conih@fas.harvard.edu or visit the conference website at http://www.fas.harvard.edu/~conih