EH.N: ANN: Workshop on the History of Commodities and Commodity Chains

[Bernd.Grewe at uni-konstanz.de]

Workshop on the History of Commodities and Commodity Chains

The Center of Excellence ‘Cultural Foundations of Integration’ 
(University of Konstanz) and the International Institute of Social 
History (Amsterdam) are jointly preparing a workshop on the history of 
commodities and commodity chains. An increasing number of research 
projects, both of junior and senior scholars, deals with the social, 
economic or cultural history of agricultural, mineral or manufactured 
commodities like tea, coffee, tobacco, indigo, cane sugar, gold, 
diamonds, textiles, etc.  A few projects also situate the history of 
these commodities in commodity chains, that is in tree-like sequences of 
production processes and exchanges by which a product for final 
consumption is produced.

The workshop is meant for doctoral students, postdocs and senior 
scholars alike. It has two aims. On the one hand the workshop intends to 
discuss intensively insights and research problems. And on the other 
hand it wants to explore the possibilities for establishing a somewhat 
more permanent platform or network for commodity-related research 
activities. The workshop is primarily meant for historians living in 
Europe, but scholars from other continents are very welcome too.

The workshop will take place in Konstanz, on February 27-28, 2009. The 
language of the workshop is English. Accommodation and meals are 
provided for those presenting papers. Travel costs (economy flights, 2nd 
class train travel) for participants who do not have funding can be 
arranged after discussion with the organizers. Those interested should 
send a short description of their ongoing research project (not more 
than a few pages) and a short CV by December 7, 2008, to:

Dr. Bernd-Stefan Grewe
Universität Konstanz
Geschichte und Soziologie
D-78457 Konstanz
Germany
Tel. 00-49-(0)7531-884904
Bernd.Grewe at uni-konstanz.de

Organizers:
Marcel van der Linden, Internationaal Instituut voor Sociale 
Geschiedenis, Amsterdam
Bernd-Stefan Grewe, Universität Konstanz
Jürgen Osterhammel, Universität Konstanz