The Centre for Public History at Queen’s University Belfast is a leading centre for the study of contested, ‘difficult’ and traumatic public histories. We particularly welcome proposals which address the complexities of doing public history in the context of social, political, economic and other divisions. We are also keen to explore ways in which history is being put to work through collaborative and co-produced research, participatory practice and citizen science to advocate for and communicate authentic, complex and inclusive historical narratives, amplify marginalised voices and unlock the societal benefits of engaging with the past, together. In addressing division and crisis, despair is an all too common response. This conference also invites papers that embrace ‘radical hope’ in order to propose new paths forward.

We welcome proposals from researchers, students and practitioners. Proposals can be for panels, individual 20-minute academic papers, roundtables or a poster and we’re also open to other ideas. Proposals should generally be for in-person attendance to maximise opportunities for presenters to meet and exchange ideas. Digital-only contributions will be considered where this is necessary or optimal, preferably in a format tailored to digital participation. Proposals to deliver a traditional paper remotely will be considered only if the presenter is unable to travel.