Call for Papers: International Conference, “Historical Monuments and Modern Society,” December 1-2, 2018, Shanghai University

Call for Papers:

International Conference, “Historical Monuments and Modern Society,” December 1-2, 2018, Shanghai University

Expressions of interest are invited for an international conference, “Historical Monuments and Modern Society,” to be held at Shanghai University, Shanghai, China, on December 1-2, 2018. The organizers plan to collect select conference papers in an edited volume, to be published in English by a major academic publisher, in addition to special issues of two refereed (SSCI and/or A&HCI listed) academic journals.

Organizers: The Wellington Koo Institute for Modern China in World History, in collaboration with the Department of History at Fudan University, and the Centre for South Asian Studies, College of Liberal Arts at Shanghai University.

Registration Fee: There is no registration fee for the conference.
Room and board: The cost of room and board during the conference will be covered by the conference organizers.
Travel expenses: Conference participants are responsible for their own travel expenses.

Themes:

From modern times, ancient monuments around the world have been re-evaluated as embodying important aspects of modernity within a complex milieu of local, regional, national, and international forces. For example, “the creative endeavors of the East,” such as ancient rock sculptures, were promoted by an influential group of elites around the globe as a source of inspiration—variously described as modern, rational, and spiritual—“fully equal, if not superior, to Western products of corresponding kind.” On the other hand, the modern recovery of ancient monuments has arguably produced a new wave of destruction, as evidenced by the ongoing controversies over the removal of artifacts from their original sites and their appropriation through tourism and virtual reality technology.

To explore the role of historical monuments in modern society, papers are sought that will address—but are not limited to—the following questions and themes:

1. How have notions of historical monuments as a form of tangible heritage emerged, persisted and/or changed in the modern period?

2. What domestic and international legal frameworks have been developed to ensure the protection of historical monuments and the return of missing artifacts?

3. How have ancient sites been managed and sustained by modern institutions? What lessons can be learned?

A proposal for a paper should consist of a title (no more than 20 words), an abstract (250 words), a short authorial bio (up to 150 words), and contact information (name, affiliation, position, and mailing and e- mail addresses). The working language for the conference will be English.

The deadline for submitting proposals is July 15, 2018. Acceptance of proposals will be notified by August 15, 2018, with completed papers to be submitted by October 15, 2018. All materials should be emailed in English to both: Prof. Dong WANG,exchange@wanghistory.org and Dr. Rajiv RANJAN, rajivranjan@i.shu.edu.cn.