We are getting closer – roughly 2.5 weeks to go and we will meet for INTERCONNECTED at St Andrews.
Thank you first of all for the fantastic posts on your projects, your interests and key readings. The quality of posts and projects is outstanding and we are very much looking forward to learning more with and from you here at St Andrews. It is a pleasure to see the willingness to share and add your views, expertise and voices. This is something we would like to transfer into the actual three days we will have together – and ideally beyond.
Now, as you see the core programme for Monday and Tuesday is pretty much set. We have a number of workshops where we will be working as a large group, though most workshops will have an element of smaller groups allowing for discussion and interaction built into it. We also have Philipp Ther’s key note lecture for Monday evening. Tuesday AM we decided to offer two alternative workshops, one by Roberto Sala related to databases, the other – more reading and discussion focused, by Ulrike Lindner on the movement of actors and ideas in imperial contexts. For all these workshops you find key readings under programme and / or readings. For some workshops, like the Monday AM by Andrew Pettegree & Arthur der Weduwen or by Roberto Sala on databases Tuesday AM there are additional tasks (see under programme and “play” with the USTC database and the www.lonsea.de).
The general idea is that we have most of Monday and Tuesday together as a larger group (though we will split up here and there), allowing us to learn together and discuss more general issues around networks, connections and their relation and relevance to transnational history.
Wednesday is kept open – deliberately so. This is the day we seek to organise around your expertise and around ideas stemming from the concept of an “unconference” during which we will break up into smaller groups. This is the day when we need your initiatives, your willingness to share, your offers to present (your topic, a text, an idea, a problem, a tool or piece of software). Some of you may have been to an “unconference”, for instance a THATCamp. If not feel free to browse the links for ideas.
On the general idea of an “unconference”: They are rather spontaneous, they are based on the idea of sharing & creating knowledge. They are open in their format of discussion group, reading groups, making and sharing. Roughly around 1.5hrs. There is also something they are NOT: they are not based on the more traditional format of panels and long papers, followed by Q&A. So, those of you who have kindly offered to present something, please bear this in mind. We will try to slot you into the unconference day but with short & sharp presentations (in the region of 7-10 mins MAXIMUM). Please do bear this in mind.
Our suggestion for “Homework 2.0” for the next 10-14 days is the following.
More Homework
1) Start READING what is on offer so far relating to the workshops.
2) Start PLAYING with USTC, lonsea.de or GIS for Historians if you wish to learn more on mapping and visualisation of networks. There (most likely) be a St Andrews-led contribution on this for the “unconference”.
3) (INTER-)CONNECT – Start or keep READING the project posts and around the suggested reading. Ideally, start making connections – intellectually connecting your project to any of the others, see similar problems or overlapping questions. From there, ideally, WRITE another POST or COMMENT that relates your project to another. It could be the start for a contribution to our “unconference day”.
4) SHARE AND CONTRIBUTE – Make yourself familiar with the ideas of an “unconference” and try to come up with a potential contribution for Wednesday. More on this HERE.
5) Finally, get started with your running regime for the early morning runs – 7am sharp it will be. (By the way: this was shot at St Andrews West Sands.)
If he can do it – you can do it
This is (pretty much) it. Any questions and comments are welcome. We will let you know the precise venue and meeting for the Sunday evening drink in the coming days.
Best wishes from sunny St Andrews (today),
the GRAINES team
P.S. Follow, share, interconnect via Twitter #Graines2015
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