Global History and Culture Centre
Meeting Wednesday 4th February 2009
Present: Maxine Berg, Giorgio Riello, Anne Gerritsen, David Hardiman, Bishnupria
Gupta, Gad Heuman, Guminder Bhambra, Stephen McDowall
Apologies: Anthony Macfarlane, Daniel Branch, Christian Hess,
Clare Anderson, Margot Finn, Stephen Broadberry, Karen O’Brien
1. Welcome to new members
Maxine welcomed new members to the Centre, Stephen McDowall, who is the
research fellow and will be with us for two years.
Global History Centre needs to reach out to more members. Suggestions are
welcome to recruit new members.
2. Minutes of The Management Committee Meeting
Minutes accepted.
3. Seminar Programme
There are two seminars in this term: Gagan Sood (4th Feb); Om Prakash (18 Feb)
Maxine is setting up an extra seminar, Lissa Roberts from University of Twente (24
Feb). Awaiting for a final title of the event.
Suggestions are welcome for speakers for next year. Topic shall be more engage to
the 20th Century and Sociology. Gurminder suggests Tarak Barkawi from
Cambridge.
Maxine and Giorgio point out that due to no central funding in Global History
Centre next year, we could only accommodate the costs of speakers’ travel within
the UK.
Maxine will be on study leave next year; an interim director will be appointed
during her period of leave.
The final Global Arts workshop is on Friday 6th Feb in V&A Museum.
Gurminder is organising the Early Career Summer School: Theory for a Global Age,
6 – 10 July. Speakers include Maxine Berg, Giorgio Riello, David Arnold,
Gurminder Bhambra, Robert Fine and many more external and overseas people.
4. Projects and network applications
Maxine suggests an informal event in a summer evening for the Centre members to
talk to each other and discuss their research interests, topics and recent events.
Looking for a date, preferably between 8th June (week 8) and 26th June (end of the
term).
A number of IAS fellowship proposals have been put forward:
Dorothy Ko (Columbia), May – June '10
Latika Chandhery (Stanford), May – June '10
Margaret Jacob (UCLA)
Charles Withers (Edinburgh)
Anne and Giorgio have applied a Leverhume grant.
Gurminder suggests that early career researchers could explore the ESRC Early
Career networking that launched recently, with possible funding opportunities.
5. MA in Global History
Maxine reports that MA programme in Global History has been successful. The
students engaged and welcomed the core course. For the MA core module next year,
more Indian related topics are needed.
Tutors and lecturers should identify students in their 3rd year as potential candidates
and encourage them to apply for postgraduate studies.
6. Warwick History PhD Studentships
Discussion of collaborative awards and further applications.
7. Language and PhD training
Maxine points out that Warwick needs to provide language training beyond MA
studies so that students will complete PhD studies, instead of leaving to elsewhere.
Giorgio points out two options, a) subcontract to external institutes; b) develop an
in-house language training facility - possible collaboration with Language Centre,
where most modern European Languages, Chinese and Japanese teaching are
available.
8. May conference: Writing the History of Global
Conference will be held on21 – 22 May in British Academy.
A few details on the programme are still to be finalised. Programme is on Global
History and British Academy website, and also has been advertised on a number of
relevant websites. Contact Amy for registration details.
9. Next AGM on Wednesday 20 May 2009
R Bin Wong, David Washbrook and Billy So will be attending the next AGM.
Maxine suggests that we could arrange events and invite them to speak while they
are in Warwick.
10. AOB
Giorgio reports on Summer School, Venice in March 2009: 17 Students have been
selected. Due to the sharp drop in GBP and Euro exchange rate recently, budget is
extremely tight, 25% shortfall. As well as reduce expenditure, Luca and Giorgio are
applying further funding from IAS. Despite the difficulties, Luca and Giorgio are
still confident to produce a quality result.
Bishnupria points out that the Economic History Annual Conference will be held 3
– 5th April in Warwick. Venue is in Social Studies, approx 200 – 250 people will
participate. So is the Social History Annual conference on the same dates in
Warwick, approx 150 participants.