I am curious as to whether there are any here who attend academic/scholarly conferences, especially the precious few that focus on automotive history.
In particular, for those on the opposite side of the Atlantic, this is one that I asking about, this excerpt being from the CFP (Call for Papers) for the conference:
The Second European Conference for Automotive History is being organized jointly by Society of Automotive Historians In Britain, Automobil-Historische Gesellschaft e.V., Germany, and Contactgroep Automobiel- en Motorrijwielhistorie, The Netherlands Supported and hosted by the Louwman Museum, Den Haag, The Netherlands, and will be held on 29-31 March 2019.
The AHG, the CONAM, and the SAHB are pleased to invite you to their second joint European conference for automotive history, to be held in the Louwman Museum, Leidsestraatweg 57, 2594 BB Den Haag, The Netherlands, from 29 to 31 March 2019, with invitations extended to AISA (Italy), AHA (Australia), UIA (Serbia), and the SAH (USA), as well as to other interested organisations and individuals.
Unless there is something that pops up, I intend to attend the conference, whether as someone presenting a paper or simply attending.
Also, we just completed the following (full disclosure: I was an organizer and co-chair):
The Second International Drive History Conference: Putting Automotive Heritage on the Road
Date: April 12-14, 2018
Location: Historic Vehicle Association, National Laboratory, Allentown, PA, USA
The Second International Drive History Conference on the preservation of automotive heritage, April 2018, as part of Automotive Heritage Month, organized by:
- The Historic Vehicle Association (HVA)
- College of Charleston (Historic Preservation and Community Planning Program)
- Society of Automotive Historians
- The NB Center for American Automotive Heritage
- The Revs Institute®
At the moment, we are planning to move the 3rd International Drive History Conference to an October 2020 date to better accommodate the annual HVA Cars at the Capitol effort held as part of the April is Automotive History Month program.
Plus, there is the annual Michael R. Argetsinger Symposium for International Motor Racing History held each November in Watkins Glen.
I have been pondering the development of something similar to the Argetsinger in Europe, say, the David McKinney Symposium for International Motor Sport History. Richard's get-togethers might be one way to get the ball rolling, for example.
I was thinking that there just might be enough interest in New Zealand and Australia for a similar symposium/conference there as well.
Academic scholars and, for a lack of a better term, buff historians, are in the same leaky boat when it comes to the topic of motor sport history and culture: outside our little group, few care.
Good historical work is good work, whether it done by an academic or a supposed "buff" historian -- the latter having many excellent historians in its ranks carrying the load at the moment on this topic.
At a panel at Allentown, I made the point that buff and academic historians really need each other when it comes to automotive history, more so when it comes to racing history.
At any rate, I encourage as many of you as possible with an inclination to share the fruits of your research at an automotive history conference, whether in North America, Europe or Down Under.
