----------------- HES POSTING ----------------- 
Dear colleagues, 
 
Herewith the call for papers for next year's European Conference on the 
History of Economics, being held for the first time outside Europe.  A 
later message will provide the address of the conference website.  We look 
forward to seeing you in Montreal. 
 
Robert Leonard 
 
 
Call for Papers 
7th European Conference on the History of Economics (E.C.H.E.) 
Université du Québec à Montréal,  
April 23 - 24, 2001  
 
"Economic Science and Visual Representation" 
 
In the history of science literature, attention has been devoted to the 
role of visual representation, or the use of images, in various fields, 
ranging from anatomy through biology to physics.  The discipline of 
economics, however, although replete throughout its history with images of 
every kind - maps, graphs, paintings, diagrams, and even woodcuts - has 
scarcely been considered from this perspective.  The purpose of this 
meeting will be to explore the role of the visual imagination in the 
history of economics. 
 
Various questions might be asked: 
 
- Why is use made of images in some areas of economics more than others?  
Does it depend on the material in question?  On the personal predilections 
of the author?  On the intended readership? 
     
- If there is an evident place for recourse to images in physical 
anthropology, or when treating the bodies, organisms, and particles of the 
natural sciences, it is not so immediately obvious in economics, which is 
concerned with social relations, acts of evaluation and other intangible 
phenomena.  How has visual representation been made relevant here?   
 
- How has the introduction of new images affected the interpretation of 
existing areas of economics?  And how has economics' encounter with the 
other sciences affected the way in which visual supports are used? 
 
- Images have been used to illustrate theories, provide evidence for 
arguments, give an impression of objectivity.  How have these and other 
roles varied in different historical contexts? Why can one easily imagine, 
for example, the use of woodcuts in Mercantilist literature but hardly in 
contemporary economic writings? 
 
- What might be said about the relationship between abstract reasoning and 
recourse to visual image in the process of scientific discovery/creation?  
And what about the reader, who alternates between text and image in the 
absorption of theories?  Are these nexuses essentially psychological, or do 
they also have cultural features? 
 
 
The above questions are merely suggestive, being intended to stimulate 
original proposals for papers dealing with the topic.  The closing deadline 
for receipt of proposals is October 31, and the completed pre-conference 
drafts of the papers selected will be due in March 2001.  The organising 
committee is comprised of José Luís Cardoso (Technical University of 
Lisbon), Neil De Marchi (Duke University), Philippe Fontaine (Ecole Normale 
Supérieure de Cachan), Albert Jolink (Erasmus University Rotterdam), and 
Robert Leonard (University of Quebec at Montreal).  Proposals and inquiries 
should be addressed to: 
 
Robert Leonard 
Dept. of Economics 
University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) 
315 St. Catherine St. East 
Montreal H2X 3X2 
Canada 
 
Tel. (514) 987 * 3000 ext. 4366 
Fax (514) 987 * 8494 
E-mail [log in to unmask] 
 
------------ FOOTER TO HES POSTING ------------ 
For information, send the message "info HES" to [log in to unmask]