The Theme:

The term 'captivity' describes a wide variety of different phenomena. It might refer to the treatment of prisoners of war or to hostage-taking as a political pool; to slavery and other forced-labour systems; to ideas of liberty and concepts of gender. By discussing 'captivity' from different historical and theoretical angles, we will explore its usefulness as a conceptual tool: would a historical category such as 'captivity' provide new impetus for comparative studies? Could it be a way of exploring transnational developments and cultural transfers? Or would such an umbrella term lend questionable unity to very disparate experiences? Special focus will be placed on the role of captivity in the construction of collective and individual identities across diverse historical periods. Linda Colley's work on captivity narratives in the British Empire could be a starting point for this, as it raised a number of theoretical and methodological issues regarding relations between coloniser and colonised, between captor and the captured.

The transdisciplinary nature of this conference reflects the strengths of UCL's Department of History, which covers areas and periods from the ancient Near East to twenty-first-century Latin America. As 'captivity' can also be explored by many other disciplines - including anthropology, archaeology, political science, and sociology - contributions from other subject areas are also welcome.

The Participants:

Scholars from Britain and mainland Europe (PhD-level and beyond) will present papers at the two-day event. Most presentations will be given in the framework of panels which focus on particular aspects or manifestations of captivity. Furthermore, four lectures will explore some of the overarching themes relating to the conference topic. Up to 50 postgraduates will get the chance to listen to their peers' and professors' presentations, thus providing additional academic training. By following the link to 'Registration', people can now apply for a place at the event. The event is free of charge. Papers and abstracts of discussions will subsequently be made available to a general audience by using the website and other media.

The Organisers and the Institution:

The conference is being organised by a group of doctoral students from UCL and Oxford. Organisers co-operate closely with UCL's Department of History, which hosts the event. The event is made possible through the financial support of the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) with additional support from the Royal Historical Society. 'Captivity. From Babylon to Guantánamo Bay' builds on previous conferences which were successfully organised by research students in UCL's Department of History and which focused on themes such as suicide, poverty, and the history of religion.

For further information, please contact Daniel Laqua (daniel.laqua@captivity-conference.org.uk).

      This conference is funded by