University of Cambridge

18-20 March 2010

 

The British Academy and Economic & Social Research Council will convene a workshop for advanced PhD students and early-career researchers in the UK and China from 18 to 20 March 2010 at the University of Cambridge. The purpose of the conference, limited to 50 people, is to provide the participants with the opportunity to present their research, engage in intensive exchanges of views, discuss publication plans, evaluate promising new directions in China research, and develop collaborative linkages. Below follow details about the two main themes of the conference and about how to apply.

 

Two research themes will be the focus of the conference. The first is population dynamics and diversity. China has experienced rapid fertility decline and is ageing more quickly than any other society. A host of associated problems include sex ratio distortions, imbalances in marriage markets, changing roles for sons, daughters, mothers, fathers, and grandparents, anxieties about healthcare and education, and the widening of generational divides. By focusing on topics such as these the conference aims to inform the ongoing debate on demographic change in contemporary China.

 

The second theme is warfare and peacemaking in Chinese history. The study of warfare has become a main theme in the study of Chinese history in China as well as Europe and the USA. The conduct of war, its influence on society and the economy, its representations in art and literature, and its role in the construction of identities have all generated significant monographs and articles. Approaches to peace-making, transitions between war and peace, and the problems of retribution and reconciliation are being studied by historians, social and political scientists, and scholars of Chinese art and literature. The study of warfare and peacemaking in Chinese history is especially exciting because of its potential to enrich military history generally.

 

Participation is free. In addition, the workshop organisers will bear the cost of economy travel to and food and accommodation in Cambridge. Participants will be expected to submit a paper of 8,000 words which will be circulated to all contributors in early March. 

 

Nominees are asked to submit a 300-word proposal, a short CV, and a letter of recommendation from their main academic supervisor to Sharon Strange (s.strange@britac.ac.uk) by no later than Monday 4 January 2010.