‘War Memorialisation and the Nation’ call for papers

Posted on by NZHeh

Notice of special conference and call for papers/panels: War Memorialisation and the Nation

(areas: war commemoration/history/cultural heritage/archaeology/peace and conflict studies) University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand, 12 – 15 November 2014

An inter-disciplinary conference concerned with war memorialisation in the interests of the nation is to be held at the University of Otago, Dunedin, in November 2014. We invite contributions that identify, reflect on, or investigate designated war memorial materials, structures and spaces (including memorials to peace), military sections of cemeteries and related places of interment such as battlefield landscapes that have become incorporated into national histories and community events. Priority will be given to papers and panels that can be related to one or more of the following broad themes.

  • ANZAC memorials and commemorations.
  • The public care, interpretation and preservation of war memorial materials, structures, places, cemeteries, and landscapes.
  • Ethical and historical dissonance at memorial sites.
  • Inclusion/exclusion and the selective politics of memorialisation.
  • The place of memorials in war and peace.
  • Public rituals at war memorial and cemetery sites.
  • War memories, memorials and identity.

Single paper contributions are welcome, as are panel proposals. Panels should identify three or more participants who will present on a coherent theme. Panels may include individual paper presentations or a roundtable discussion by identified participants. Panels convened by graduate students are welcome also.

For panel and paper proposals, please send an abstract of no more than 200 words (including abstracts for all of the papers in a panel) to ian.barber@otago.ac.nz<mailto:ian.barber@otago.ac.nz>

Deadline for panel proposals: 4 August 2014 Deadline for paper proposals: 29 August 2014

Confirmed keynote speakers:

  • Professor Joy Damousi, FAHA FASSA, Professor of History, School of Historical and Philosophical Studies, University of Melbourne
  • Dr Jock Phillips, Senior Editor, Te Ara – Encyclopedia of New Zealand, Manatū Taonga – Ministry for Culture and Heritage, Wellington, New Zealand
  • Lieutenant Colonel (retired) Christopher Pugsley, DPHIL, FRHISTS, historian, New Zealand
  • Mr Edward Ellison, kaumātua, Te Rūnanga o Ōtākou

For further information please visit: www.otago.ac.nz/warmemorialconference

For questions contact conference organiser Ian Barber at:

ian.barber@otago.ac.nz<mailto:ian.barber@otago.ac.nz> (64 3 479 8758, University of Otago)

This conference is hosted by:

*   Department of Anthropology & Archaeology<http://www.otago.ac.nz/anthropology/>, University of Otago

*   Historic Cemeteries Conservation Trust of New Zealand<http://www.cemeteries.org.nz>