Presentations

The Presentations deal with many of the aspects of transnational which we have discussed over the course of the semester. Transnational history is to a large extent revisionist, and this can be seen in presentations such as Will’s which focus on non-Western history or Laura’s on the nation. The presentations also display the opportunity afforded by transnational history to discuss alternative categories of time and space. For example key moment’s can be examined as transnational moments as George describes the 60s or Jemma and Jamie’s discussions of conferences. Spaces can also be transnational and the presentations show how climate can be a useful key to transnational history. Geography of course stretches across and beyond nations which form common dividing lines in the writing of history. As evident from Marion’s and George’s presentations climate is an already existing transnational category which can provide the historian with a transnational focus on events commonly studied in isolation. Transnational history appears not to be prescriptive as to a certain methodological approach and can incorporate areas from outside history such as anthropology. It also lends itself to a wide variety of techniques such as the analysis of maps and images as well as written sources. One aspect of transnational history which was evident in many of the presentations was the connection it has to experience. Focussing less on states and instead on a complex transnational world naturally leads one to consider how it was navigated and understood by individuals. One question which remains important for transnational history though, is that of extent. It is always interesting to consider how important and widely experienced these connections are as well as the simple fact of their existence.