Historians tend to focus on change; the ways in which world history is tightly intertwined with questions of globalization further emphasize our attention to transformation. What happens when we shift our gaze to instead look carefully at what persists, and why? What environmental and cultural attributes have staying power? What practices, objects, texts, monuments, and resources do communities invest in maintaining? How do teachers, activists, and scholars navigate the inherent tensions between the lure of “the past as it’s always been” and the incessant tugs of transformation? How do we approach the challenges of sustainability & preservation while acknowledging the power of change?
Presentations & panels may investigate sustainability & preservation in any register, including:
- the environment
- water and water rights
- air quality
- climate
- indigenous communities
- immigration
- religious history
- borderlands, including in the US West
- education and pedagogy
We encourage panels that seek to situate processes of sustainability, preservation, and transformation in local, regional, or global contexts. We appreciate the unique culture and environment of Utah and the US West, and hope some contributions discuss the historical and contemporary challenges facing this region. As always, the program committee will also accept proposals that do not relate to the annual theme. Proposals may take several forms:
- organized panels of (generally) three panelists and one chair, plus, optionally, one discussant
- round tables with four to six participants, which involve five-minute opening statements from participants and then conversational dialogue with the audience
- workshops on specific teaching or research techniques or practices
- individual papers (15–20 minutes in length)
Organized sessions—full panels, round tables, and workshops—receive priority in the program and receive earlier notification of acceptance. Individual papers, if accepted, will be arranged into suitable panels by the Program Committee, but these will receive later notice of acceptance.
Papers should be presented in English. A/V requests will be honored as much as possible, but A/V is always subject to failure, so handouts of essential information are always welcome.
For this conference, we are partnering with the University of Utah and other local sponsors; we will hold most sessions on the University of Utah’s lovely campus in the Foothill Cultural District. The Cultural District is home to the Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Botanical Gardens, the Fort Douglas Military Museum, This is the Place Heritage Park, and many other local attractions.
Submissions are due no later than Monday, December 16.
The portal for submitting paper and panels may be found at:
https://www.thewha.org/conferences/utah-2020-conference/cfp-2020- submissions/