Abstract of the conference reports
Transnational Networks of Labour, Linz 2007
Transnational Networks. Contributions to the History
of 'Globalisation', Vienna 2007
Idea and conception: Berthold Unfried
The first year of ITH's triannual conference cycle "Labour
history beyond borders" was spent on the large theme of networks.
We organized 2 conferences to explore a wide range of transnational networks
in history and in present:
The
regular (43rd) Linz Conference on: "Transnationale Netzwerke
der ArbeiterInnen (bewegung)/Transnational Networks of Labour/Réseaux
transnationaux du mouvement ouvrier", Linz, 13.-16.9.2007
The
international conference: "Transnationale Netzwerke. Beiträge
zur Geschichte der 'Globalisierung'"/Transnational Networks. Contributions
to the History of 'Globalisation'" in cooperation with the Institute
for Economic and Social History, University of Vienna, the Society for Social
History and the Karl Renner-Institute, Vienna, 16.-18.11.2007.
Both conferences gave a rather unsystematic tour d'horizon on
networks as an object of research. The conferences were structured by a
few basic distinctions: 1) networks that primarily circulate ideas, standards
and practices without necessarily moving persons in space; And 2) networks
that primarily circulate persons. Within the 1st category we additionally
tried to distinguish between personal networks and networks centred around
organizations.
The topic "network" certainly is "in the air". It imperatively
demands an interdisciplinary approach. We had it discussed by a wide range
of social scientists, historians, political scientists, researchers in International
Relations and in International Development who tried such an integrated
approach already in their contributions.
Animated general discussions evaluated benefits and limits of networks as
object of historical research. The debates centred around some core questions:
Can networks be seen as specific forms of sociation of the modern individual?
As forms of communication and association that allow the individual to link
itself "in" and "out" in an easy and self-determined
way? Large space was given to knowledge-networks. Such epistemic networks
increasingly link applied research via expertise to politics, the economy
and "civil society". The scientific interest in the study of such
forms of production and global dissemination of concepts and meaning certainly
has to do with new experiences. In the conferences, we tried to analyse
these experiences, to develop models for their explanation and to test them
in case studies. We could not distil a homogeneous concept of "network"
out of the contributions. The heuristic concept "network" successfully
served as a stimulans for the productive conferences, but it probably
cannot structure a separate sector of research. The concept "network"
led us on a tour de force through the disciplines and served to
unite the participants of the conferences in a temporary but all the more
intense community of discourse. The inspired discussions were an indicator
for this successful transdisciplinary intellectual creation.
Reports on the conferences were published in various journals and in the
Austrian radio Ö1. A selection of the contributions of both conferences
is to be published by ITH.