Universität Bielefeld
Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung (ZiF)
February 6-9, 2008
Deadline for Proposals: May 15, 2007

IMAGINING OUTER SPACE, 1900-2000

- Call for Papers -

This conference on the cultural history of outer space, space travel
and space exploration suggests looking at Europe via its ways of
imagining the spatial beyond. It proceeds from the observation that
the currently thriving interest in space as both explanans and
explanandum can be traced back to early attempts at exploring outer
space, and that the contemporary predominance of the visual must be
understood as, implicitly, preparing for existence in the space capsule.

If, as historian Walter McDougall has argued, three structural forces
were required to launch the American space program - namely an
economy prosperous enough to finance the endeavor, the availability
of appropriate technological means, and the necessary imagination -
this conference will focus exclusively on the latter. Unlike most of
the existing historiography, it is less interested in the political,
diplomatic and technological aspects of European space programs per
se, but rather in the socio-cultural rationale behind the investment
of enormous resources. How was outer space represented and perceived
over the course of the twentieth century? In what way were changing
conceptions in turn affected by the continuous and ongoing
exploration of outer space? How did the idea of spaceflight develop
into such a central element of the project of Western modernity? In
what form did changing images and conceptions of outer space, 'other
worlds' and the entire cosmos impinge on religion, transcendental
beliefs and competing versions of the future? And what was the
cultural and societal impact of space exploration and space travel in
Europe at large?

Thus, contributions to the conference will analyze the cultural
significance and imaginative repercussions of outer space, space
travel and space exploration rather than the actual scientific
findings in a variety of instances. Analyzing contact points between
science and fiction from a comparative European perspective, it will
pay special attention to sites and situations where technologies and
images have contributed to the omnipresence of fantasmatic thought.

Themes of possible contributions include but are not limited to:
1. Outer Space and the Spatial Turn
2. Futurist Technologies and Past Utopias
3. Science Fiction as History
4. Space Personae
5. Aliens and the Plurality of Worlds-Debate in the Twentieth Century
6. UFOs, SETI and the Quest for Radical Alterity
7. Space Technology's Places on the Ground
8. Space and the Beyond in the History of Religion and Western
Esotericism
9. Outer Space and Nuclear Power
10. Historicizing the Overview Effect
11. The Frontier-Myth in the Orbital Age
12. European Astrofuturisms in Comparative Perspective

Speakers include Profs. Steven J. Dick (NASA), Roger D. Launius
(National Air and Space Museum), Michael J. Neufeld (National Air and
Space Museum), Claudia Schmölders (Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
and Helmuth Trischler (Deutsches Museum). The conference will also
feature a special screening of historical films compiled and
commented on by Jürgen Ast (Berlin).

Proposals for papers are invited from those working in history,
history of science and technology, aeronautics, astrophysics,
geography, archaeology, art history, literary criticism or related
disciplines. All papers will be circulated before the conference to
leave ample room for discussion among its 20-25 participants.
Conference language will be English. Travel funding is available for
all speakers. Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words
together with a short CV before May 15, 2007 for consideration to
Alexander Geppert at alexander.geppertfu-berlin.de.

Convener
Alexander C.T. Geppert
Friedrich-Meinecke-Institut
Freie Universität Berlin
alexander.geppertfu-berlin.de
www.fu-berlin.de/fmi

Venue
Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Forschung
Universität Bielefeld
Wellenberg 1
D-33615 Bielefeld
www.uni-bielefeld.de/ZIF