What are the historical roots of views of European defense and Europe's role in Western defence? How did the early European Integration movement perceive American involvement in the development of a common security strategy? This conference will investigate these and other related questions by re-examining the early cold war US/European relationship and the role that early Cold War period developments played in the European Integration Movement. In so doing, this conference will also showcase findings which can contribute to the unification of Cold War and European Integration historiographies. 

It is a pleasure to invite submissions for this conference, hosted at the University of Luxembourg, Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH). It will take place in the Black Box conference room, Ground Floor, Maison des Sciences Humaines, Campus Belval, University of Luxembourg, on March 30 and 31, 2017.

Argument

What are the historical roots of views of European defense and Europe's role in Western defence? How did the early European Integration movement perceive American involvement in the development of a common security strategy? This conference will investigate these and other related questions by re-examining the early cold war US /European relationship and the role that early Cold War period developments played in the European Integration Movement. In so doing, this conference will also showcase findings which can contribute to the unification of Cold War and European Integration historiographies. Primary, though not exclusive, consideration will be given to papers from established researchers, already in posession of a PhD,  that examine in some way asymmetrical power relations (for example between nations, spheres of influence, alliances, business and media) in the early cold war period. Of particular interest will be papers that highlight the ways in which smaller ‘powers’ affected ‘larger’ developments in the early cold war period.

Main topics

Topics of interest, including but not necessarily limited to:

• Asymmetrical power relations in the early cold war period of European Integration
• The ways in which ‘the small’ are able to affect change on the international level in the context of the early cold war and European Integration process.
• Impacts of European organizations such as the WEU, BENELUX and ECSC on asymmetrical power relations;
• The effect of interractions with the United States, and with the communist world.
• Political, cultural and economic interactions on international and/or transnational level
• Perceptions of the term ‘security’ and what it meant in the early cold war / integration context.
• New methodological approaches investigating this period and these events.
• Interactions between the communist and non-communist worlds in Europe

Guide for authors

 To submit your abstract, please submit documents by email to: europe_cold_war_conf_2017@outlook.com

Applications must be received by Jan 13th 2017. Invited speakers will be notified by Jan 27th 2017. Presenters are requested to submit their paper (to be given in English or French) as well as a short Biographical statement, by March 10 2017.

A selection of papers presented will be considered for publication in an edited volume of the conference proceedings. Therefore, applicants are requested to state whether or not their paper is unpublished, and if they wish for it to be considered for publication.

Important Dates

• Deadline for submission: January 13 2017

• Notification of acceptance: January 27 2017
• Deadline for final paper submission: March 10, 2017
• Date of the conference: March 30 and 31, 2017

Submission guidelines

In PDF format, in French or English

• Title and abstract (250-300 words) of presentation, to last no more than 20 minutes.
• CV, with current affiliation, field of expertise and list of relevant publications.

Please email the application documents to the email address below: europe_cold_war_conf_2017@outlook.com

For questions: Dr. Spero S. Z. Paravantis, spero.paravantis@uni.lu

This conference is funded by the Fonds National de la Recherche (FNR) Luxembourg, through the CORE Jr. research project BENELUX, and hosted in coordination with the Centre for Contemporary and Digital History.

Travel / accommodation information**

The Conference will take place in the Maison des Sciences humaines, a five minute walk from the train station Gare Belval, which in turn is reachable by train from the Luxemboug Gare Central. Accommodation is available at Belval, but is limited, so attendees may also be interested to search for accommodation in Luxembourg City, or the nearby towns of Esch-Sur-Alzette, Belvaux, and Dudelange.

Information for trains:

http://www.cfl.lu/espaces/voyageurs/en/gares-et-services/nos-gares/belval-universit%C3%A9

Information for busses, location of  campus, map:

http://wwwen.uni.lu/contact/belval_campus

 **Please note, speakers will be expected to arrange their own accommodation and transportation to Luxembourg. Coffee, and snacks will be provided throughout the days of the conference, as will a certificate of attendance, should one be desired.

Organising committee

Dr. Spero Simeon Z. Paravantis, Chair

Research Associate: TBA

Dr. Spero Simeon Z. Paravantis joined the University of Luxembourg in December 2014, as a Post-Doctoral Researcher in International History. He is now a Senior Research Fellow, working in the Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (CCDH). His research combines Early Cold War and European Integration history, focusing on European Politics, Anglo-American relations, and Modern Greece. He is currently conducting research into the development of a common European Security Strategy in the early Cold War Period. He is also a Visiting Lecturer at the Catholic University of the Sacred Heart in Milan, Italy, and has lectured in Contemporary European History, at the bachelor and master’s level, in Luxembourg, Greece, Italy, the UK and Canada.

Information about the host Department:  http://wwwen.uni.lu/c2dh

Information about the funding agency: https://www.fnr.lu/