The interest of urban historiography on small towns has manifested itself, continuously, but not very intensely, since the 1980s, namely through the study of urban hierarchies, the spatial distribution of towns in a region, or city/city relations. Until now, however, the topic of the relationships established between small, medium and large cities, although not omitted, is far from being able to be considered consolidated as a research topic. Mainly, the place that small towns occupy/occupied in large-scale interconnection phenomena and what are the components, modalities, intensity, and relevance of their (eventual) involvement was little questioned.

Argument

The colloquium “A networked urban world: small, medium and large cities (from the Middle Ages to Contemporary times)” takes place in Castelo de Vide (Portugal) between the 4th and 6th of May 2023.

Its organization is the result of the joint initiative of the Network of Small Cities in Time, the Municipality of Castelo de Vide, three research units from NOVA FCSH (Institute of Medieval Studies, Center for the Humanities, and Institute of Contemporary History), Casa de Velázquez (Madrid), the HISEURAM Research Group 970758 (Univ Complutense de Madrid) and the Frontown project (PTDC/HAR-HIS/3024/2020).

The interest of urban historiography on small towns has manifested itself, continuously, but not very intensely, since the 1980s, namely through the study of urban hierarchies, the spatial distribution of towns in a region, or city/city relations. Until now, however, the topic of the relationships established between small, medium and large cities, although not omitted, is far from being able to be considered consolidated as a research topic. Mainly, the place that small towns occupy/occupied in large-scale interconnection phenomena and what are the components, modalities, intensity, and relevance of their (eventual) involvement was little questioned. The full argument of the colloquium is available here.

We invite researchers focused on urban topics from various disciplines (History, Archaeology, History of Art, Literature, Urbanism, Law, Heritage, Tourism…), to participate in this colloquium, sending proposals os sessions, papers or posters whithin the following thematic panels:

1. Epistemology, methodologies of analysis and state of the art on links and flows between small, medium, and large cities.
2. Small towns as knots in commercial, industrial, financial, military, informative and artistic flows.
3. Political, administrative, juridic, social, and religious links between large, medium, and small towns: changes and permanence.
4. Border and cross-border links and flows between small, mediumm and large cities: a dynamic of its own?
5. Urban centers in low density areas: answers and challenges for re-balancing the territorial network.
6. Tourism, heritage, and networks: small towns as an engine for local development.

Presentations may be carried out in Portuguese, Spanish, French or English.

Submission guidelines

Submission of proposals through the website.

Deadline: February 10^th 2023

Registration fees for speakers*:

• Speakers (in general): 50 €
• University students: 40 €
• Integrated researchers (CHAM, IEM, IHC) and FCSH students: €30

For more information contact:  smallcities.network@gmail.com

*The registration includes transport between Lisbon Airport-Castelo de Vide-Lisbon Airport, lunch on the days of the scientific sessions, a guided tour of the Historic Center of Castelo de Vide and the Colloquium Dinner.

Timeline:

• Call for sessions and papers: February 10^th 2023
• Session and paper acceptance: March 10^th 2023
• Speaker’s registration: from March 15^th to April 15^th 2023
• Conference programme announcement: after April 15^th 2023
• Meeting: 4 – 6 May 2023

Scientific committee

Scientific Committee of the International Network _ Small Cities in Time:

• Adelaide Millán da Costa
• Amélia Aguiar Andrade
• Antonio Collantes de Terán
• Beatriz Arizaga Bolumburu
• Denis Menjot
• Iria Gonçalves
• Isabel del Val Valdivieso
• Jean-Luc Fray
• Jesús Solórzano Telechea
• María Asenjo González
• Maria Helena da Cruz Coelho
• Michel Bochaca
• Peter Clark