Conf/CfP - Paradigms of Change in Modernising Asia and America, 2017, Belgium

PARADIGMS OF CHANGE IN MODERNISING ASIA AND AMERICA

The terminology of change belonging to the European intellectual tradition—composed of terms that constitute milestones in the historiographical account of societal, historical and political development such as modernity, revolution, renaissance, enlightenment, progress, evolution, etc.—has been substantially reinterpreted and re-signified outside of Europe around the turn of the century. Our hypothesis is that, in the extra-European environment, the originally eighteenth and nineteenth century terminology could find new meanings because of the loosening of the reference to the specific facts and the environmental conditions in which it had been generated. Asian and American scholars, applied terms such as renaissance or enlightenment to their historical predicament and, in doing so, they appropriated them. In that very moment, those terms started to exceed their primary historical referent. They belonged no more to Europe alone and became across-the-board metaphors, universals and tropoi which gave meaning to their experience of change. This interpretative work around terms indicating historical change went together with a fundamental and radical reconsideration of modernity and its prerequisites (i.e.: of modernisation).

Applications

We welcome abstracts for applications of 400-500 words. A biographical note should also be included, listing position held, fellowships and grants received and major publications. The deadline for the submission of abstracts is July 20th, 2017. Candidates will be informed by August 15th, 2017 and should confirm their participation by September 1st. Paper presentations should not exceed 25 minutes and will be followed by 15 minutes of discussion. No complete paper is to be delivered before the conference takes place.

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