Going Underground: Travel Beneath the Metropolis 1863-2013
A Conference to Mark the 150th Anniversary of the London Underground
17 January 2013 - 18 January 2013
10 January 2013 will mark the 150th Anniversary of the public opening of the Metropolitan Railway in London. It was the world’s first urban rapid transport system to run partly in subterranean sections. As the precursor of today’s London Underground, it was not only a pioneer of technological and engineering advances, but also instigated new spatial, political, cultural and social realms that are now considered to be synonymous with London and modern urban experiences across the globe.
The Centre for Metropolitan History, Institute of Historical Research, is marking the anniversary by organising a two-day conference dedicated to the history and use of the London Underground.
Taking the construction and opening of the Metropolitan Railway as a departure point, this conference seeks to explore the past, present and future of the London Underground from a variety of perspectives that investigate its histories, geographies, cultures, politics and social characteristics.
The conference organisers invite proposals for papers of 15-20 minutes in length. Submissions are welcome on any subject related to the general theme, but may benefit from connecting with one or more of the following sub-themes.
Underground Histories
- Micro-narratives and marginalised perspectives: individual or oppressed stories from the Underground
- Counter or unrealised histories: unofficial accounts or unfulfilled plans
Underground Geographies
- The relationship between the Underground, city and nation
- Subterranean places and cultural landscapes
- Private and public spaces
Cultures of the Underground
- Representations in literature, music, film, photography and art
- Heritage, identity and memory
- Enthusiasts, collectors, explorers, popular pursuits and pastimes
The Politics of the Underground
- Power and contestation: the Underground as a site of protest, control and propaganda
- The politics of transport planning policy
- The Underground as a platform for strikes and political manifestos
The Social Underground
- Security, surveillance and crime
- Mobility and technology
- Everyday life and experiences
While the focus of the conference is on the London Underground, we encourage papers that provide an international comparative perspective.
Organiser(s): Carlos Lopez Galviz, Sam Merrill, Centre for Metropolitan History
Event Location: Senate House, Malet Street, LondonWC1E 7HU, United Kingdom
Call for papers deadline: 13 July 2012. Please send abstracts and an author biography (including institutional affiliation) each of no more than 250 words by Friday 13 July 2012 by email to the Centre for Metropolitan History at ihrcmh@sas.ac.uk
Registration for this conference will open in September 2012
Contact details:
Olwen Myhill (ihrcmh@sas.ac.uk) Centre for Metropolitan History Institute of Historical Research Senate House Malet Street London WC1E 7HU
Contact phone: +44 (0)20 7862 8790
Contact fax: +44 (0)20 7862 8793