Call for Papers
Cognition and Evolution in Historical and Social Research
September 23–24, 2025, Lund, Sweden
https://www.kultur.lu.se/cehsr2025
Over recent decades, cognitive science have significantly reshaped our understanding of human thought, while modern evolutionary theory has provided robust explanations of the biological origin of Homo sapiens. Yet, despite these transformative developments, cognitive and evolutionary perspectives remain under-integrated within mainstream historical and social research. This conference seeks to address this lacuna by exploring how cognitive and evolutionary approaches can enrich our understanding of the human condition in historical and societal contexts.
Recent advances in cognitive science, neuroscience, and genetics compel historians and social scientists to re-evaluate foundational paradigms. Concepts such as the embodied mind, situated and distributed cognition, and conceptual metaphor theory are increasingly applied within the humanities and social sciences, particularly in fields such as linguistics, literary studies, archaeology, and religious studies. Concurrently, emerging research in cultural evolution and cognitive theory has fostered a biologically and culturally grounded view of humans as products of long-standing bio-cultural co-evolutionary processes.
Evolutionary frameworks have gained traction in newly established interdisciplinary domains, including evolutionary cultural studies, evolutionary institutional economics, evolutionary linguistics, and cognitive evolution studies. These perspectives prompt historians and social scientists to re-examine core models and analogies—such as those comparing cultural and organismic evolution—and to investigate the roles of variation, selection, and inheritance (retention) within cultural dynamics.
At the heart of these inquiries lies a key question: how do cognitive processes—perception, memory, conceptualisation, embodied action, communicative practices, and institutional forms—function as mental constructs that contribute to social inertia or transformation? This conference invites scholarly contributions that explore these mechanisms and their implications for historical change and long-term social evolution.
The conference will take place at Lund University, Sweden. The nearest international airport is Copenhagen Airport (Denmark), with direct rail connections to Lund Central Station (approximately 35 minutes).
There is no conference fee. Participants are expected to arrange their own travel and accommodation.
Confirmed plenary speakers:
* Peter Gärdenfors, Professor of Cognitive Science, Lund University, Sweden; https://www.fil.lu.se/en/person/PeterGardenfors/
* Ruth Mace, Professor of Evolutionary Anthropology, University College London, UK; https://www.ucl.ac.uk/anthropology/people/academic-and-teaching-staff/ruth-…
Suggested topics for papers include (but are not limited to):
* Cognitive history
* Cognitive archaeology
* Cognitive poetics
* Deep history
* Neurohistory
* Evolutionary culture studies
* Evolutionary institutional economics
* Evolutionary political science
* Bio-cultural co-evolution
* Embodied cognition in history and society
* Situated and distributed cognition in history and society
* Perception, memory, and conceptualisation in history and society
* Cognition, language and communication in history and society
Venue:
* LUX, Lecture hall C121, Helgonavägen 3, Lund, Sweden
Key dates:
* Deadline for abstract submission: 1 September 2025
* Notification of acceptance: 7 September 2025
* Conference starts: 23 September 2025, at 13:00
* Conference ends: 24 September, at 12:00
Submission guidelines:
Abstracts (maximum 300 words), along with a short academic biography, should be submitted to David.Duner(a)kultur.lu.se<mailto:David.Duner@kultur.lu.se> no later than 1 September 2025. All presentations will be conducted in English.
Organizing committee:
* David Dunér, Professor of History of Ideas and Sciences, Lund University, Sweden
* Christer Ahlberger, Professor of History, University of Gothenburg, Sweden
* Mikael Sandberg, Professor of Political Science, Halmstad University, Sweden
Please address questions to David.Duner(a)kultur.lu.se<mailto:David.Duner@kultur.lu.se>
Hej!
Vad sade Werner Heisenberg och Niels Bohr till varandra om möjligheterna med att arbeta på att skapa en atombomb?
För mer än 25 år sedan rönte pjäsen Copenhagen av den brittiske dramatikern Michael Frayn mycket stor framgång över hela världen och som handlar om mötet mellan Werner Heisenberg och Niels Bohr i det ockuperade Köpenhamn 1941. Den spelades över 300 gånger i London och på Broadway och sattes upp både i Göteborg och på Dramaten i Stockholm. Heisenbergs och Bohrs mycket olika uppfattningar av vad som sades under deras möte är inte bara en mycket central tilldragelse i 1900-talets (fysik)historia utan lånade sig till en utmärkt pjäs.
Nu kommer en av världens ledande experter på det nazityska atombombsprojektet, prof. Mark Walker, till CVH/KVA för att föreläsa om:
"History and Legend: Werner Heisenberg’s 1941 Visit with Niels Bohr in Occupied Copenhagen”
Det kommer han att göra utifrån hans nya bok Hitler’s Atomic Bomb: History, Legend, and the Twin Legacies of Auschwitz and Hiroshima på Cambridge University Press.
Föredraget äger rum i Linnésalen på KVA tisdagen 20 maj kl. 16.00.
Man anmäler sig genom att mejla till centrum(a)kva.se<mailto:centrum@kva.se>
Vänliga hälsningar!
Kalle Grandin
<https://www.vetenskapshistoria.se/nyhet/hitlers-atombomb/>
[hitlers-atomic-bomb.jpg]
Föredrag: Hitlers atombomb<https://www.vetenskapshistoria.se/nyhet/hitlers-atombomb/>
vetenskapshistoria.se<https://www.vetenskapshistoria.se/nyhet/hitlers-atombomb/>
Dear colleagues,
We are pleased to invite proposals for the Tenth Norwegian History of Science Conference (NHSC10), which is being organized by NVF - The Norwegian Association for the History of Science<https://foreninger.uio.no/nvf/english/>, and hosted in Bergen, Norway, 5-7 November 2025.
The theme of the conference is "Science and Communication"
About the Conference
The Norwegian History of Science Conference brings together scholars working on the history of science, medicine and technology on any theme, topic, or period to discuss historical, epistemological, political, institutional, and ethical issues of relevance to both Scandinavian and international audiences, welcoming researchers of all nationalities at all stages of their careers. The tenth conference in the series coincides with the 200th anniversary of Bergen Museum, the origins of the University of Bergen, and the local organizers extend a special invitation to those involved in history of science, medicine and technology taking place at museums and collections.
The first Norwegian Conference on the History of Science was organized in Oslo in 2008 with the aim of establishing a national network for historians of science, medicine and technology. Since then, the conference has been hosted biannually in Tromsø, Trondheim, Oslo, and Bergen, and the conference has established itself as a forum for both national and international exchange of ideas and collaboration. At the ninth conference held in Trondheim in 2023, NVF - The Norwegian Association for the History of Science was established to serve as host of the conference.
Theme
The overarching theme of this year's conference is "Science and Communication", understood in a broad sense. Twenty years ago, James Secord argued for studying science as communication, stressing the ways that ideas and practices were moved from one place to another. Following his call, historians of science have offered detailed studies of communication devices such as newspapers, public talks and demonstrations, movies, radio, and the internet have shaped what and how we know things. Others have studied ways to communicate, display, or store scientific knowledge and objects, for example in museums and collections. In the museum sector there has been an increased tendency to address ethical issues associated with the origins of their collections. Several studies have also offered new insights into who has been deemed the ideal science communicator, as well as how ideas about science audiences have changed. Last, but not least, a growing number of studies have offered invaluable insights into what knowledge has been deemed not suitable for communication, or what happens when knowledge is produced against the wishes of the scientist.
While the main theme of the conference is "Science and Communication", papers and panels on other topics related to the history of science, medicine and technology are equally welcome, as the conference aims to reflect ongoing activities in the field and continue to provide an important meeting point.
Keynote lectures will be given by Anne Eriksen from the University of Oslo and Staffan Bergwik from Stockholm University. Eriksen will talk about "Bergen Museum 1825. Knowledge for a Public Sphere", while Bergwik will talk about "Epochs, Trajectories, Rhythms: Visions of Historical Time and Scientific Knowledge in the 20th Century".
Guide for contributors
Proposals for individual papers, organized sessions, and alternative types of sessions (such as round tables, workshops, exhibitions or shorter pitching sessions), are welcomed. Ordinary presentations will be scheduled for 20 minutes. No speaker may present in more than one session. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Programme Committee based on their scientific merit and relevance.
Session proposals should include:
? a brief description of the panel's aims (150 words maximum)
? a session title
? an individual abstract for each paper in the session (250 words maximum)
? full contact details of the organizer and all speakers (including affiliation/postal address and email addresses)
? details of any specific audiovisual equipment required (beyond PPT).
Individual paper proposal should include:
? a paper title
? an abstract (250 words maximum)
? full name and contact details (including affiliation/postal address and email address)
? details of any specific audiovisual equipment required (beyond PPT)
All proposals should be sent as a single electronic document to: historyofscience10(a)gmail.com<mailto:historyofscience10@gmail.com>. Please note that in-person attendance is expected. The conference language is English, although limited parts of the program may be in Scandinavian languages.
The deadline for submissions is May 15, 2025. A conference website will be set up at https://nhsc10.w.uib.no (in development). For any queries regarding the conference, please contact magnus.vollset(a)uib.no<mailto:magnus.vollset@uib.no>
Best regards,
Annette Lykknes, Chair of The Norwegian Association for the History of Science
Magnus Vollset. Chair of the local organizing committee
Hej,
Här kommer information om ämneshistoriografisk konferens från Jani Marjanen vid Helsingfors universitet.
trevlig helg
önskar
Henrik
Hi all,
The Conference of the Helsinki Centre for Intellectual History will take place during 15-17 December, 2025, at the University of Helsinki.
The topic of this year’s conference is In and Out of the Canon of Intellectual History. We encourage everyone within the Helsinki Centre for Intellectual History to submit papers or proposals for panels, and also circulate the message to your communities. The deadline for sending proposals is Thursday, 17 April, 2025.
More details about the conference can be found here: https://www.helsinki.fi/en/researchgroups/centre-for-intellectual-history/i…
You can use this form to submit proposals: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScHvEpZe-v8pTCJR7rD8yvh6nlQBLoc9Lx…
We look forward to your participation. If you have any practical questions about the conference, please contact mengdi.zhang(a)helsinki.fi.
All the best,
Jani Marjanen (also on behalf of all the organizers)
Dr. Jani Marjanen
University Lecturer in Political History
P.O.Box 54 (Snellmaninkatu 14 A)
FIN-00014 University of Helsinki
Finland
Stockholms universitet lyser ut en doktorandanställning i idéhistoria. Sista ansökningsdag är den 15 april. Sprid till alla intresserade.
https://su.varbi.com/se/what:job/jobID:798396/where:4/
Victoria Fareld
Institutionen för kultur och estetik
Stockholms universitet
Hej idéhistoriker!
Vi har förlängd deadline, till den 28 februari, för den nationella 1700-talskonferensen "Stad och land" på Sätra brunn den 7-9 maj.
Man kan läsa mer om konferensen och anmäla sig här: https://1700-tal.se/call-for-paper
Vänligen,
Sara
Sara Ekström
fil.dr / PhD
idéhistoria / History of Ideas
Institutionen för kultur och estetik / Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Stockholms universitet / Stockholm University
106 91 Stockholm
https://www.su.se/profiles/saeks-1.341242
Hej idéhistoriker!
Den 7-9 maj anordnar Sällskapet för 1700-talsstudier en nationell konferens med tema "Stad och land" på Sätra brunn. Se bifogat CFP.
Man kan läsa mer om konferensen och anmäla sig här: https://1700-tal.se/call-for-paper
Vänligen,
Sara
Sara Ekström
fil.dr / PhD
idéhistoria / History of Ideas
Institutionen för kultur och estetik / Department of Culture and Aesthetics
Stockholms universitet / Stockholm University
106 91 Stockholm
https://www.su.se/profiles/saeks-1.341242
Svenska nationalkommittén för teknik- och vetenskapshistorias pris till Torsten Althins minne
Kunskapsområdet teknik- och vetenskapshistoria har en bred förankring i Sverige. Dels engagerar det en mångfald aktörer och institutioner inom arkiv, museer, forskning och högre utbildning. Dels uppvisar det en tematisk bredd med utställningar och forskning som sträcker sig från klassiska teknik- och vetenskapshistoriska områden som innovationer och forskningsinstitutioner till nyare territorier som medicinens, miljöproblemens och kunskapssamhällets historia. Inom kunskapsområdet finns dessutom ett stort intresse för kulturarvsfrågor.
I samarbete med Tekniska museets vänner lanserar nu Svenska nationalkommittén för teknik- och vetenskapshistoria ett nationellt teknik- och vetenskapshistoriskt pris. Syftet med priset är att uppmärksamma det teknik- och vetenskapshistoriska kunskapsområdets institutionella och tematiska bredd samt att stärka och motivera den mångfald av institutioner som arbetar med dessa frågor. Priset ska belöna personer, arbeten eller institutioner som på ett förtjänstfullt sätt verkat för att bevara, sprida eller skapa ny kunskap om teknikens och vetenskapens historia och kulturarv i Sverige, till exempel inom forskning, museer, populärvetenskap, undervisning, arkiv och kulturmiljövård. Priset är döpt efter Torsten Althin (1897–1982), en pionjär inom den svenska teknikhistoriska verksamheten.
Pristagaren erhåller, förutom äran, 10 000 kronor och ett särskilt formgivet diplom. Priset kommer att delas ut vartannat år i anslutning till den nationella ämneskonferensen Teknik- och vetenskapshistoriska dagar. Den första prisutdelningen kommer emellertid att äga rum redan 2025 på Tekniska museet i Stockholm i samband med museets jubileumsfirande.
Det är nu dags att nominera pristagare. Skicka en kortfattad motivering till althin(a)tekniskamuseet.se senast den 1 februari 2025. Det går bra att länka till exempelvis en särskild bok eller utställning. Skicka dock inte fysiska handlingar. I den mån sådana behövs för bedömningsarbetet kommer de att begäras in av den nominerande parten längre fram. Det går bra att nominera en kollega, ett verk, en utställning, en institution, en arbetsgrupp eller sig själv.
Se här<https://sntvkva.wordpress.com/svenska-nationalkommitten-for-teknik-och-vete…> för vidare information om priset och Svenska nationalkommittén för teknik- och vetenskapshistoria. Välkommen med din nominering!
/Svenska nationalkommittén för teknik- och vetenskapshistoria och Tekniska museets vänner
Jimmy Jönsson
Ph.D., History of Ideas and Sciences
Division of History of Ideas and Sciences
Department of Arts and Cultural Sciences
Lund University
Hej,
Här kommer schema för det teknik- och vetenskapshistoriska seminariet VT25, ett samarbete mellan Avdelningen för teknik, vetenskap och samhälle på Chalmers och Idé- och lärdomshistoria vid Göteborgs universitet.
Välkomna!
/Aron och Gustav
========================
Gustav Holmberg
http://www.gustavholmberg.com
Dear colleagues,
please note the call for a PhD Summer School on Anthropocene Histories<http://eseh.org/call-for-participants-eseh-2025-summer-school-in-environmen…> in connection with the ESEH European Society 2025 conference in Uppsala in August next year. The PhD Summer School is organized by the Center for Anthropocene History at KTH<https://www.kth.se/anthropocenehistory>. It will take place in the Stockholm region from August 25 to 28, following the ESEH conference. The application deadline is February 28, 2025
Best,
Sabine
Anthropocene Histories
ESEH 2025 Summer School in Environmental History
KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
August 25-28, 2025
The ESEH and the Centre for Anthropocene History at KTH Royal Institute of Technology are inviting applications for the 2025 ESEH Summer School to be held in and around Stockholm on the topic of Anthropocene Histories.
The Anthropocene is not just a geochronological epoch to be defined by the International Commission on Stratigraphy. It is a state of the world where the human and the natural intersect so profoundly that it has started to impact the workings of our planet. The anthropogenic environmental changes have acquired historical agency on the planetary level. Thus, exploring and writing Anthropocene histories is a call and attempt to mend the longstanding separation between human and Earth history and engage seriously with the natural and the material in various ways and formats. While science can identify geophysical and biogeochemical changes, it is history that connects the rapid planetary changes with the explanatory dynamics of human societies and asks how and why such geological records have emerged in the first place.
This Summer School is intended for doctoral students in history, STS, philosophy, sociology, and neighboring humanities disciplines working on the history of anthropogenic environmental changes that have impacted Earth processes on a planetary scale without necessarily confining themselves to the geological definitions of the Anthropocene. Together, we will discuss how Anthropocene Histories can and should be written and what are the sources and methods that allow historians to account for the elemental materiality in their writing. Possible topics include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Anthropocene governance – resources, extractivism, politics and justice;
2. Histories of Earth elements and spheres: hydrosphere (oceans and terrestrial water), minerals (geosphere), cryosphere (ice, snow, permafrost), biosphere (multi-species history), atmosphere (air) and supra-atmospheric space;
3. Time, temporalities, historiographical principles of periodisation;
4. Modelling and the Digital Anthropocene;
5. Material, non-textual sources.
Setup of the summer school
The Summer School is organised by the Centre for Anthropocene History at KTH Royal Institute of Technology and will be held in Stockholm and its picturesque archipelago. The exact location will be announced closer to the date. The teaching faculty consists of teachers from KTH and renowned scholars from other well-known universities.
The Summer School will include lectures, plenary discussions, workshops, hands-on exercises and out-of-classroom learning opportunities. All Summer School participants are expected to submit a written text on their topic in advance and present it at a workshop, followed by feedback and discussion with other participants and lecturers. The accepted Summer School participants will receive the instructions for their presentations in early 2025.
Successful participants will receive a certificate and 5 ECTS.
Eligibility
The Summer School is open to all doctoral students and early post-docs worldwide interested in the above topics. A few places can be given to excellent MA students. The working language of the summer school is English. While the range of topics is potentially wide, we will give preference to applicants who engage with the planetary scale of anthropogenic environmental change and pay special attention to the material, scalar, spatial and temporal aspects of history.
Application
To apply for the summer school, send the following to anthropocene(a)kth.se<mailto:anthropocene@kth.se>:
1) A curriculum vitae (max 2 pages);
2) An abstract of your research topic (max 450 words);
3) A letter of intent motivating how your research pertains to Anthropocene history and how it relates to the planetary dimensions of anthropogenic environmental change. (max 2 pages)
APPLICATION DEADLINE: February 28, 2025.
Cost
The Summer School is free of charge to all participants. All accepted participants will receive full meals and accommodation during the event. We will also cover any eventual charges for local transportation to our different locations. Participants are responsible for their own transportation to and from Stockholm. Limited travel funds are available upon request. PhD students who participate at the ESEH 2025 conference in Uppsala can also apply for the ESEH Travel Grants.
For further information, please contact kati.lindstrom(a)abe.kth.se<mailto:kati.lindstrom@abe.kth.se>
Successful Summer School applicants will be informed by the end of March 2025.
[signature_1766038635]
Dr. Sabine Höhler
Professor of Science and Technology Studies
Head of Department of Philosophy and History
KTH Royal Institute of Technology
School of Architecture and the Built Environment
Department of Philosophy and History
Division of History of Science, Technology and Environment
Teknikringen 74 D
SE-100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Fon: +46 8 790 87 41
Email: sabine.hoehler(a)abe.kth.se<mailto:sabine.hoehler@abe.kth.se>
