Conference Announcement  and

Call for Papers

Urban History Association

Fourth Biennial Conference

November 5-8, 2008

Crowne Plaza Houston-Downtown

1700 Smith Street

Houston, TX 77002

SHOCK CITIES: Urban Form in Historical Perspective

 The Program Committee seeks submissions for sessions, roundtable discussions, and individual papers on all aspects of urban history across time and space for the Fourth Biennial Urban History Conference in Houston, Texas, on November 5-8, 2008. 

With respect to the theme of the conference, we encourage submissions that focus on questions of rapid urban growth, urban form, and their consequences across time and also from a transnational perspective. While “shock cities” has been a phrase associated with dominating modern cities with social hierarchy, diverse economies, and political or governmental crises, it need not be so restricted. The phrase evokes an array of urban issues in many places and in many eras, such as demographics, governance, economy, and physical form. Hopefully, a session or two might focus on host city Houston and its history of rapid, expansive growth.

Beyond the theme of the conference, the committee encourages all types of innovative historical presentations, including:

             Comparative, regional, transnational studies

            Work focusing on race, gender, and class

            Research on the environment, technology, and science

            Presentations on small cities and towns

            And more

 As part of the conference, the committee will organize workshops for graduate students writing dissertations in urban history. Each workshop will be composed of approximately 3-4 students and 2 faculty members. Participants will be expected to pre-circulate copies of their dissertation prospectuses to each other. Students who wish to participate in a workshop should apply with a letter of interest by March 3, 2008 to the e-mail addresses below.

 Final submissions are due March 3, 2008 and should be sent via e-mail to Program Chair, Martin Melosi at mmelosi@uh.edu and Janet R. Bednarek at Janet.Bednarek@notes.udayton.edu.  Panel and roundtable proposals should designate a single point-of-contact and include a brief explanation of the overall theme as well as one-page abstracts of each paper (panels only) and one-page c.v.’s for each participant. Those submitting an individual paper, please include a one-page abstract and a one-page c.v. While individual paper submissions will be considered, preference will be given to complete panels.