Centre d’histoire de Sciences Po (CHSP) – University of Chicago (UChicago) Centre in Paris, November 19-20, 2026

We gladly announce a call for papers for a conference on the historical foundations of economic integration and disintegration from the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
We invite submissions that explore the concrete forces shaping, propelling, constraining, or reversing economic interconnectedness across the world. Despite the development of a voluminous literature on topics such as trade expansion, capital mobility, and cross-border production in the social sciences, historical perspectives over the past forty years have rarely made the global economy the subject of dedicated analysis. 
The straightjackets undergirding common narratives – “free market” against “state intervention”, “free trade” against “mercantilism,” or “financial liberalization” against “regulation” – betray the need to explore the diversity of forms global economic integration or disintegration may assume. We believe that detailed archival research and a distinct historical framework can elucidate the heterogeneity of linkages in the global economy over time. 
We seek contributions that more precisely map the forces compelling economic integration, examine why such connections have repeatedly frayed or been disrupted, and move beyond common binary or linear narratives on the topic.
The conference is designed to provide a platform for PhD candidates and early-career scholars to present their work. While the conference aims to be genuinely interdisciplinary, preference will be given to submissions drawing on primary sources.
The conference will take place over two days, with one day hosted at Sciences Po Paris and the other at the University of Chicago Center in Paris. It will open and close with two keynote lectures, which will be announced at a later stage.

To apply, submit an abstract (max. 300 words) by Friday, July 3 at 11:59 pm (CEST).

The organizing committee may not be able to fully cover travel and lodging expenses for all speakers. Applicants are encouraged to note any funding needs when submitting their proposals; requests will be reviewed based on available financial resources.
The publication of a volume/series of articles collecting the contributions to the conference is envisaged.

View full CfP: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1IB0CH5OCAnUsa2zmmzIq-cAneehjPVWi/view?usp=sharing

Click here to apply: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScgTe-iUkfcRxoCXpUx9Hdxhg44OFGu8AfGxqiMCKjTtNeAfw/viewform?usp=header

For any questions, please contact: pgeid2026[at]gmail.com

Scientific Committee: Paul B. Cheney (UChicago); Mario Del Pero (CHSP); Jonathan Levy (CHSP); James T. Sparrow (UChicago); Sofia Valeonti (American Univ. of Paris); Paula Vedoveli (Getulio Vargas Foundation)

Organizing Committee: Hugo Carlier (CHSP); Atman Mehta (UChicago); Giulio Piumelli (CHSP/SSM Naples); Eduardo T. Romero (UChicago)