Call for papers
International Conference
Social representations of history
Social psychological and historical approaches to their antecedents, evolution, and role in influencing identities and intergroup relations
Organized by COST Action IS1205
University of Pécs, Hungary, April 9-10th, 2015
This international conference is organized by the Institute of Psychology, University of Pécs, in the framework of Cost Action IS1205 “Social psychological dynamics of historical representations in the enlarged European Union” (http://costis1205.wix.com/home ). The main objective is to create space for the interdisciplinary dialogue (particularly between social psychologists and historians) on the interplay between social representations of history (or collective memories), social identities, and intergroup relations.
Invited keynote speakers are internationally renowned scholars in different fields of the memory studies: Social psychology (János László); history (Chris Lorenz); and a third discipline (to be confirmed).
Presentation
The international conference will focus on the relevance of history in contemporary people’s lives. How history is being represented contributes to shaping current ethnic, national and European identities. Representations of history elicit group-based emotions that influence behaviours and may lead to intergroup conflicts or reconciliation in Europe and beyond.
The scientific focus of the conference revolves around three major fundamental ideas. First, our relation with the world is built on representations that are shaped and shared within social groups. These representations are not only responsible for our knowledge of the present, but also of the past and future. Secondly, our knowledge about the world is intertwined with our identities; who we are as individuals or as group members. Thirdly, our representations of past intergroup relations, especially conflicts, weigh on current intergroup (e.g. interethnic or international) relations. As a consequence, the transmission of historical narratives, especially about past intergroup conflicts, is crucial in facilitating or impeding reconciliation processes.
Submission and deadlines
We invite submissions in line with the following research domains:
1. The role of social cognitive processes in shaping social representations of history;
2. The contents and structures of social representations of history and their relation to ethnic, national or supranational identities;
3. The transmission of social representations of history through narratives;
4. The effects of social representations of history on emotions, attitudes, and intergroup relations
Proposals for papers and posters can be submitted through the conference website from 1 November to 10 December 2014: http://www.srhistoryconf.pte.hu
The conference’s official language is English. All proposals will undergo a double blind peer review process. Notification of acceptance will be sent to authors by 20 January 2015.
Abstracts should be written in English and contain a clear outline of the argument, the theoretical framework, and, where applicable, methodology, results and conclusions. The preferred length of the individual abstracts is between 200 and 300 words (the maximum is 300 words). Each participant may submit more than one proposal, but only one paper or poster by the same first author will be accepted.
Timeline
Deadline for abstracts: 10 December 2014
Notification of Acceptance: 20 January 2015
Online Registration: 1 to 29 February 2015
Final Program of the Conference: 10 March 2015.
Venue
The conference will be held at the Department of Communication and Media Studies (http://www.commonline.hu/en), Faculty of Humanities of the University of Pécs, at the Zsolnay Cultural Quarter, Pécs, Hungary (http://www.zsolnaynegyed.hu).
Registration fees:
85 euro per person including participation to the social dinner
45 euro per person without participation to the social dinner
Organizing Committee
Sara Bigazzi (Chair), Zsolt Szabó, Orsolya Vincze, Sara Serdült, Péter Restás, István Csertő, Bálint Takács, Ildikó Bokrétás.
Scientific Committee (in alphabetical order)
Sara Bigazzi, Michal Bilewicz, Susanne Bruckmüller, Rosa Cabecinhas (Coordinator), Luigi Cajani, Sabina Cehajic-Clancy, Karen Douglas, Eva Fülöp, Denis Hilton, Chantal Kesteloot, Olivier Klein, Simone Lässig, Laurent Licata, Tibor Polya, Alberto Sá, Zsolt Szabó, and Orsolya Vincze.
Full details and information about online submissions are available on the conference website: http://www.srhistoryconf.pte.hu
For enquiries related to the submission of proposals, please contact: srhistoryconf@pte.hu