CfP 9thTensions of Europe Conference - Panel on Natural Resources

Natural Resources in the Age of Mechanization and Digitalization: Technological Change, National Narratives and Transnational Connections

Call for Proposals for a panel, 9^thTensions of Europe Conference “Decoding Europe: Technological Pasts in the Digital Age”, 27-30 June 2019

Industrial progress and innovations resulted in mechanization and digitalization of many processes and operations during the 18^th and 19^th century and especially in the later decades of the last century. Mechanization, automation and computerization changed practices of search, exploration, control, extraction, transportation, and industrial use of natural resources in many industrial sectors and countries. How did processes of mechanization, automation and computerization in specific cases change approaches to resource exploration, processing or use? How did such processes play out in different countries and world regions and affect industrial development, colonial practices, transnational cooperation and global competitiveness? What role did industrial research and scientific and technological institutions play in the automation of resource production? Did the digital age also usher in a new age of resource production and use? Contribution could range from the mechanization of agricultural production and coal processing in the 19^th to the use of robots in resource exploration and the digitization of resource markets in the late 20^th century.

We propose two separate formats to which abstracts are invited. First, we propose traditional sessions consisting of the presentation of papers (proposal A).

Second, we propose the organization of a round table discussion with short contributions in the beginning (10 minutes each) focusing on the questions raised above with an emphasis on the question whether the digital age ushered in a new age of resource production and use (proposal B). For this discussion, we would also be very grateful for suggestions of persons we could invite (ranging from historians and other academic researchers to experts from the resource industry researchers and scientists involved in robotics and automation in resource exploration, extraction, processing and use).

Please, send your proposal with a title of your talk along with a short abstract to Matthias Heymann matthias.heymann@css.au.dk and Elena Kochetkova len.kochetkova@gmail.com by 4 November 2018. Your proposal should include a short abstract (max. 150 words each) with the academic title, affiliation and short biography of the applicant and an indication whether your proposal is directed to the traditional session (proposal A) or whether you would be interested to join a roundtable discussion (proposal B).