[SIGCIS-Members] CFP International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC), 29 July–2 August 2014 in Brasov, Rumania

[Thomas J. Misa]

A Dutch colleague forwards this CFP . . . ---Tom Misa
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Computers and the ‘second industrial revolution’ 1945-1970

For the meeting of the International Committee for the History of Technology (ICOHTEC), 29 July – 2 August 2014 in Brasov, Rumania, I would like to set up a panel to compare the ways in which, during the nineteen fifties and sixties, electronic computers were believed to change society in different countries.

The panel explores an aspect of the conference’s general theme, ‘Technology in times of transition’. Several prominent intellectuals in the nineteen fifties, such as C.P. Snow and Norbert Wiener, thought that electronic computing represented the core of a ‘second industrial revolution’, which would cause a social transition more profound than that created by the first one. Since computers were introduced in many countries for similar purposes, one might expect similar debates everywhere. On the other hand, different economic and political conditions as well as different cultural traditions may account for differences in reactions to, and expectations of  the new technology. The panel will explore such convergences and divergences by means of a number of national case studies.

If you would like to participate, please submit your proposal to me at <vanlente at eshcc.eur.nl> before February 1, so that I can submit a session on February 3, which is the final deadline. 

Your proposal of 250-300 words should include your research question, sources and (preliminary) results. Please add your cv.

Dick van Lente
Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication
Erasmus Universiteit Rotterdam
<http://www.eshcc.eur.nl/english/personal/vanlente/>
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