CONCEPTA

Helsinki Summer School 2007
Introduction to Conceptual History

This is the third Introduction to Conceptual History course that will be arranged. In the two previous years a distinguished team of international teachers and visiting lecturers has provided the talented students from different parts of the world a fresh approach to conceptual history and the means to apply its methods to their own subsequent research.

Date: 7-23 August 2007
Place: University of Helsinki, Main Building, Auditorium III (Street Address: Unioninkatu 34, 2nd Floor)

Organisers

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 and workshops and an essay of 10-15 A4s.
• 10 ECTS requires active participation in the lectures 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 Centre, The City University of New York
• Hans Erich Bödeker, PD Dr, Research Scholar, Max Planck Institute for the History Science, Berlin
• Jan Ifversen, Head of Institute, Associate Professor, Institute of History and Area Studies, Department of European Studies, Aarhus University
• 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
• Kari Palonen, Professor, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä
• Henrik Stenius, Research Director, Docent, Centre for Nordic Studies (CENS), University of Helsinki
• Gabriel Entin, PhD Candidate, L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences
  Sociales, Paris; University of Buenos Aires
• Tero Erkkilä, Researcher, Department of Political Science, University of Helsinki
• Pasi Ihalainen, Professor, Department of History and Ethnology, University
  of Jyväskylä
• Petri Koikkalainen, Lecturer, Faculty of Social Science, University of Lapland
• Terhi Lehtinen, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science, University of Helsinki
• Anthoula Malkopoulou, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä
• Jeppe Nevers, Ph.D. Candidate, Institute of History and Civilization, University of Southern Denmark
• Evgeny Roshchin, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Political Science and Sociology, European University at St. Petersburg
• Suvi Soininen, Researcher, Department of Social Science and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä
• Sami Syrjämäki, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Mathematics, Statistics and Philosophy, University of Tampere
• Keith Tribe, Dr., Translator, University of Sussex; The King’s School, Worcester
• Tuula Vaarakallio, Post-doctoral researcher, Department of Social Sciences
  and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä

Course schedule

Tue 7 August
No tuition.

Wed 8 August
9-10 am General Issues. Henrik Stenius, Sanna Joutsijoki.
10-12 noon What is Conceptual History? I: The History of Concepts and the History of Ideas. Martin J. Burke.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm What is Conceptual History? II: Reinhart Koselleck and the GG. Jan Ifversen.

Thu 9 August
10-12 noon What is Conceptual History? III: Rolf Reichart and the Handbuch. Jan Ifversen.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm What is Conceptual History? IV: The Cambridge School. Martin J. Burke.

Fri 9 August
10-12 noon From Lexicography and Discourse Analysis to Conceptual History in France. Jan Ifversen.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm What is Conceptual History? V: Bielefeld or Cambridge? Jyväskylä and New York. Martin J. Burke.

Mon 13 August
10-12 noon Works-in-Progress Workshop I. Chair: Jan Ifversen.
Ivan Lind Christensen, Ph.D. Candidate, Institute of Public Health, Department of Health Services Research, Copenhagen University
Jonas Ahlskog, Department of History, Åbo Akademi University
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30- 3.30 pm Parliament, Rhetoric and Liberty. Kari Palonen.

Tue 14 August
10-12 noon National Projects in Conceptual History: Finland. Henrik Stenius.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm Quentin Skinner on Intentions, Anachronisms and Concepts. Sami Syrjämäki.

Wed 15 August
10-12 noon Works-in-Progress Workshop II. Chair: Martin J. Burke.
Mikko Belinskij, Department of History and Ethnology, University of Jyväskylä
Kati Parppei, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of History, University of Joensuu
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm Works-in-Progress Workshop III. Chair: Henrik Stenius.
Hanna-Mari Kivistö, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, University of Jyväskylä
Diana van Vugt, Ph.D. Candidate, Faculty of Law, University of Helsinki
Minna Aaltonen, Ph.D.Candidate, Faculty of Social Science, University of Helsinki

Thu 16 August
Contemporary Trends in Conceptual History Seminar

Fri 17 August
Contemporary Trends in Conceptual History Seminar

Mon 20 August
10-12 am National Projects in Conceptual History: The Netherlands. Pim den Boer.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm Popular Sovereignty and Democracy in Parliamentary Debates in the 18th Century Britain, Sweden and the Netherlands. Pasi Ihalainen.

Tue 21 August
10-12 am The Study of Asymmetric Counter Concepts. João Feres Jr.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm Transnational Projects in Conceptual History: The Case of ‘Civilization’. Pim den Boer.

Wed 22 August
10-12 am The Interface between Political Theory and Conceptual History. João Feres Jr.
Noon-1.30 pm Lunch
1.30-3.30 pm Summation and Conclusion. Henrik Stenius.

Thu 23 August
No tuition.

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
History of Political and Social Concepts Group
http://www.jyu.fi/yhtfil/hpscg