Introduction to Conceptual History, Helsinki; 7.8.2007-23.8.2007

Introduction to Conceptual History, Helsinki Summer School 2007
Helsinki 07.08.2007  - 23.08.2007

Helsinki Summer School 2007
Introduction to Conceptual History

Date: 7-23 August 2007
Place: Helsinki, Finland

Organisers
Helsinki Summer School; Centre for Nordic Studies CENS, University of Helsinki; Danish Research School for History; Finnish Centre of Excellence in Political Thought and Conceptual Change, University of Jyväskylä in collaboration with CONCEPTA.

Students
The course is suitable for Finnish and international students from various academic backgrounds, although an interest in the humanities and political thought is an advantage. The course is designed for Ph.D. and advanced M.A. students.

Course description
The presumption that concepts are timeless has been replaced in recent decades by an awareness of their unavoidable historicity and temporality.

By using linguistically orientated methods informed by those
advocated by Reinhart Koselleck and Quentin Skinner, conceptual history provides an inventive - as well as well argued - approach to the analysis of key historical and political concepts. The goal of conceptual history is to illuminate concepts and ideas that are central to the operation of political and social life. It is concerned with the migration, reception, translation, diffusion and employment of concepts and
ideas in both time and place.

A group of internationally distinguished scholars will provide participants with the means to re-examine common concepts in the humanities and social sciences from new perspectives. The emphasis of this intensive introductory course is two-fold. First, it will introduce the general premises and practices of conceptual history, thereby enabling participants to use these methods in their own subsequent research. Second, it will explore contemporary trends in conceptual history by means of case studies. The course will be conducted through a series of lectures and workshops.

In order to complete the course successfully, participants will be required to participate in the lectures and workshops and to complete a written assignment. The course is suitable for Finnish and international Ph.D. and advanced M.A. students from various academic backgrounds. Participants are encouraged to contact the organiser if they would like to present their own work-in-progress in conceptual history and related fields in the workshops.

Credits
6 ECTS requires active participation in the lectures, seminar and workshops and an essay of 10-15 A4s. 10 ECTS requires active participation in the lectures, seminar and workshops and an essay of 20-25 A4s.

Teachers and visiting lecturers
Martin J. Burke, Associate Professor of History and American Studies, Ph.D. Program in History, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York
Pim den Boer, Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, University of Amsterdam
João Feres Júnior, Professor of Political Science, Instituto Universitário de Pesquisas do Rio de Janeiro - IUPERJ

Jan Ifversen, Head of Institute, Associate Professor, Institute of
History and Area Studies, Department of European Studies, Aarhus University
Course schedule
The course schedule will be announced later.
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool

Course fee
The course fee is 450 EUR (100/150 EUR registration fee + 300 course
fee).

For more information, please check the Helsinki Summer School
website.
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool

Accommodation
For more information on accommodation, please check the Helsinki
Summer School website.
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool

How to apply
Application and registration to the course are made at the Helsinki Summer School website. Participants are chosen on the basis of their applications.
Participants are encouraged to contact the organiser if they would like to present their own work-in-progress in conceptual history and related fields in the workshops.
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool

Scholarships
Helsinki Summer School has a very limited amount of scholarships available for non-Finnish residents. Full scholarship covers registration, tuition and accommodation. Partial scholarship covers registration and tuition. As these scholarships do not cover either travel or daily expenses, participants are encouraged to obtain additional funding from other sources. For more information, please check the Helsinki Summer School website.
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool

Please direct any questions concerning the content of this course to the coordinator Ms Sanna Joutsijoki at sanna.joutsijoki@helsinki.fi.

Any questions concerning the general arrangements should be addressed to the Helsinki Summer School office at summer-school@helsinki.fi.

Useful links
Helsinki Summer School
http://www.helsinki.fi/summerschool
Centre for Nordic Studies (CENS)
http://www.helsinki.fi/hum/nordic
CONCEPTA
http://www.helsinki.fi/project/concepta/index.html
Danish Reseach School for History
http://www.historie.forskerskole.au.dk/index.jsp
Finnish Centre of Excellence in Political Thought and Conceptual
Change
http://www.jyu.fi/yhtfil/PolCon
History of Political and Social Concepts Group
http://www.jyu.fi/yhtfil/hpscg