CfP: Business History in a World of Disruption
60th Annual Conference of the Business History Society of Japan
60th Annual Conference of the Business History Society of Japan
The University of Tokyo
October 26-27, 2024
Call for papers for the international session (in English)
Business History in a World of Disruption
Instability, whether political (wars in Ukraine and Palestine), economic (inflation and declining Chinese growth), technological (the advent of AI) or cultural (cancel culture and the woke movement), is at the heart of today's world. More than ever, companies and governments must act in an uncertain world. Some scholars see a new period of deglobalization (James, 2021), while others interpret this instability as the final downfall of the West and the emergence of a new world dominated by the authoritarian regimes of the Global South (Mahbubani, 2022). Business historians are also involved in these debates. Over the past decade, new trends have emerged to give a historical dimension to debates on the role – and responsibility – of business in the transformation of the contemporary world. This is the case, for example, with sustainability and climate change (Bergquist, 2017), growing emerging markets (Jones et al., 2017), postcolonial transition (Decker, 2010), and war and political risk (Forbes et al., 2018.). Our discipline can undoubtedly contribute to this debate by placing the disruptions of today's world in a historical perspective.
Japan is clearly a relevant place to discuss such debates. Over the last twenty years, its economy and global influence have been steadily falling. The country is watching, often helplessly, the changes taking place in the world. However, some companies that have opted for globalization, such as Sony, Toyota and the general trading companies, demonstrate that the disruptive world is not an absolute obstacle.
To mark its 60th annual conference, the Business History Society of Japan is organizing an international session inviting researchers to discuss these issues. In particular, we are welcoming
papers that contribute to providing historical depth to questions of business in the face of deglobalization and changes to the world order. The following themes are particularly encouraged: new forms of governance of global value chains, post-colonial transition in East Asia, wars and political risks, environment and resource management. These topics are not exclusive, and the organizers will consider business history proposals that are not directly linked to them.
Proposals, including an abstract with a clear statement of the research question (maximum 300 words) and a short CV mentioning your affiliation (maximum 100 words), must be submitted to the following address: fujicon.japan@gmail.com. Deadline for submissions is May 15, 2024. Applicants will be informed of the result of the selection process by the end of May.
Program Committee
Pierre-Yves Donzé (Osaka University), chair
Marcelo Bucheli (University of Illinois)
Stephanie Decker (University of Birmingham)
Ai Hisano (The University of Tokyo)
Takashi Shimizu (The University of Tokyo)