Discussing the future of International History at Jesus College, Oxford

Several Fate of Nations associates attended the reunion of the Oslo Contemporary International History Network at Jesus College, Oxford. The two-day conference on September 10th-11th, financed by Jesus College, Aarhus University and NTNU, was set to reappraise the themes, theories, methods and perspectives currently shaping research in and teaching of International History. In particular, the conference was set to consider what the "return of geopolitics" in the 21th century and whether it was useful to discern a European approach to International History. Fate of Nations pillar leaders Espen Storli and Mats Ingulstad stressed in their talk that the "return of geopolitics" should not warrant a "back to basics" for international history, but rather that new studies of geopolitics in International History should make sure to include the lessons learned from "New International History", such as the importance of ideas, culture and international institutions. The conference ended with a post-graduate seminar, attended by among other doctoral students from the Fate of Nations project.