CFP: Inventing America: The Interplay of Technology and Democracy in Shaping American Identity Location: Virginia, United States
Call for Papers Date: 2006-06-09
As part of its year-long commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Benjamin Franklin's birth, the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation invites scholars to submit papers for a conference to be held at the University of Virginia from 3-4 November 2006. This conference is being co-sponsored by the UVa Department of Science, Technology, and Society and the Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies at Monticello.
Throughout our nation's history, Americans have enthusiastically embraced new technology, and have been willing to experiment with new political ideas and practices. While we acknowledge that invention in both technology and politics has shaped American identity, we seldom look at how they interact. This program will examine how Franklin and his contemporaries saw technology as integral to the creation of a new form of government, a democratic republic, as well as how Americans since Franklin's time have wrestled with the interplay of technology and democracy. Among the themes that the conference will address are:
How did the Founding Fathers such as Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton and Washington see technology as integral to the creation of a new political culture in America? How has their vision of technology and democracy continued to shape American identity?
For a full description and contact information, visit:
http://www.h-net.org/announce/show.cgi?ID=150736
