The Committee appointed by the International Maritime Economic History Association is organising a panel for the 15th World Economy History Congress (Utrecht, 3-7 August 2009)

"Maritime History as Global History"

Maritime history in the broadest sense is global economic,
business, social, urban and political history. From an economic
perspective, maritime historians examine long-distance sea trade that links centres of production and consumption across national borders. On the business side, they look at the multinational maritime businesses that transcended frontiers. As social historians, they analyze the factors of production, ships and seamen, and technology and knowledge transfers. Maritime business historians study the role of port cities, the gateways of the ocean highways, and the multiple economic and social
consequences for these urban places and their hinterlands from
environmental, disease and consumption perspectives. As political
historians, they study the importance of the sea for the formation,
development and destruction of maritime empires. Our goal in this
session is to highlight maritime history as a main agent for broad
global exchange focusing on the interdependences that fostered
connections on the local, national and global levels from the 15th to the 20th centuries.

To properly follow the developments of these phenomena from
the medieval period until today the session will be divided into two
sections: one dedicated to the late medieval and early modern period (1400-1700), the other on the modern period (1700-2000).

We welcome proposals for papers (of 15 minutes in length)
especially from young researchers. Proposals with abstracts (maximum 250 words), up to five key-words, a brief CV (no more than one page), and a brief discussion of the aims, theoretical framework, sources and empirical focus of the paper should be sent by 2 March 2009 to Maria Fusaro (M.Fusaro@exeter.ac.uk) or Amélia Polónia (amelia.polonia@gmail.com)

Papers will be selected by Monday 30 March 2009, and we will require the full text of the contribution (maximum 10,000 words including notes and other scholarly apparatus) by Tuesday 30 June 2009. The papers will appear in an edited volume in the series /Research in Maritime History/.