Synchronizing History: the transplantation of American ideas in Europe
The relationship between the Americas and Europe wasn’t just about potatoes, tomatoes, chocolate, tapirs, capybaras and armadillos. Jean de Lery, Hans Staden and Theodor de Bry brought to the European public narratives of their experiences among the indigenous people of Brazil, featuring the great cannibal feasts that populated the imaginary about part of the Americas. Frans Post and Albert Eckout painted Brazil from Holland. And the Jesuit missions were responsible for exchanging so many “curiosities” from America to Europe. But these were ideas about America. In addition to the many goods sent from the so-called colonies to their metropolises, there was a widespread belief that the criteria for civilisation came from Europe and that the transit of ideas was therefore unidirectional. More recently, however, historiography has challenged these narratives and proposed new approaches based on cultural exchange, global and decolonial studies.
In 2024, the international congress Synchronising History: the transplantation of European Ideas in the Americas was organised in Palermo, Italy. The initiative aimed to shed light on the vast transplantation of European ideas in the Americas, paying particular attention to the methodological and theoretical aspects inherent in any analysis of this complex cultural movement. Bringing together specialists from various fields, including historians, linguists and translators, the event was intended to be a place for discussion and the creation of new interdisciplinary methodologies with the aim of reaching a new and more comprehensive knowledge of the process which led to the formation of Western history. The event was supported by the Department of Psychology, Educational Science and Human Movement (SPPEFF) – University of Palermo, Department of Cultures and Society – University of Palermo, Humanistic Studies Department – Roma Tre University, Department of History Anthropology Religions Art History Media and Performing Arts – Sapienza University of Rome, Department of Historical Studies – University of Milan, Autonomous University of Madrid, National University of Mar del Plata, Centro Siciliano Sturzo (CeSS), Centre of Latin American Studies of Cambridge (CLAS), Centre for Intellectual History at the National University of Quilmes (Argentina), History & Translation Network (HTN), Red Columnaria (RC), Centro Studi Giovanni Botero.
For 2025, we propose the theme Synchronising History: the transplantation of American ideas in Europe, in order to give a proper idea of the impact of new ways of thinking about Global History from less Eurocentric perspectives that take into account the need to overcome unilinear conceptions of time and open space for approaches that consider different ‘visions’ of history and their distinct temporalities.
We invite for papers researchers from different areas regarding the following main themes:
- Religious and Cultural Encounters: Receptions, appropriations and misunderstandings
- Manners of interpreting the other: Art, literature and visual culture between America and Europe
- The transit of ideas between the Old and New Worlds
- Political Ideas: Intellectual History and Forms of Rule
- Literature and Society: translating the World to others
◆ Submitting a proposal
We welcome both individual papers as well as panel proposals.
· Individual paper proposals should be c. 300 words long.
· If you are interested in organizing a thematic panel involving 3-4 papers, please submit a panel description (ca 200 words), panelists and their paper’s proposal (ca 300 words).
All proposals should be accompanied by short bios (ca 100 words) of the presenters.
Please, send all proposals to: submissions2025@synchronizinghistory.com
For further information: info@synchronizinghistory.com
◆ Deadlines
· 7 January 2025: Submission opening
· 14 March 2025: Submission deadline
· 14 April 2025: Acceptance of individual paper proposals and full panel proposals.
· 16 May -10 July: Registration.
· 31 July 2024: Full Programme.
The Conference will take place on the 17 – 19 September 2025 at Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro/ UERJ. The language of the conference is English.
Participation fee is €120 euros or R$700 reais (including coffee breaks, lunches/buffet and Friday plenary dinner). Instructions regarding payment methods will be available once the proposal is accepted. *
* There’ll be a 50% discount to all graduate and undergraduate students and to UERJ faculty and staff
Certificate of attendance will be released.
◆ Scientific Committee: Peter Burke (Emmanuel College, University of Cambridge), Valentina Favarò (University of Palermo), Helge Jordheim (University of Oslo), Ethan Kleinberg (Wesleyan University), Gioacchino Lavanco (University of Palermo), Héctor Maldonado (National University of San Marcos in Lima), Ana Paula Torres Megiani (University of São Paulo), Manfredi Merluzzi (Roma Tre University), María Luz González Mezquita (National University of Mar del Plata), María Lucia Pallares-Burke (Centre of Latin American Studies, University of Cambridge), Blythe Alice Raviola (University of Milan), Hélène Roy (University of Poitiers), Emmanuelle Sinardet (University of Paris Nanterre), África Vidal (Universidad de Salamanca)
◆ Scientific director: Evelyne Azevedo (UERJ), Luigi Alonzi (University of Palermo)
◆ Organizing Committee: Evelyne Azevedo (UERJ), Tamara Quírico (UERJ), Luigi Alonzi (University of Palermo), Manfredi Merluzzi (Roma Tre University), Blythe Alice Raviola (University of Milan)
◆ Organizing Secretary: Mariana Vidal (UERJ), Tássia Rocha (UFRJ/ UERJ), Lívia Bettero (UMinho/ UERJ), Carolina Galvão (UERJ), Elena Amerio (Autonomous University of Madrid)