We are planning a conference to discuss the historical impact of the life,
work and influence of J.K. Galbraith, to be held in Cardiff University in
September 2008.

This conference aims to explore and analyse Galbraith's contribution from
the perspective of the historian. The focus will not be so much on an
assessment of Galbraith as an economist but on questions about his role in
influencing the development of economics over time, about why his
perspective generated (and still generates) controversy, about the
philosophies and traditions it draws upon, about his part in the Keynesian
revolution and the development of a post-Keynesian analysis, about the
value of his work in assisting our understanding of advanced capitalist
societies in the second half of the twentieth century, and about his
relationship with Liberalism and the Left in the USA and the UK. 

Our intention is to explore these issues by bringing together 
contributions from a group of leading contemporary historians, as 
well as economists, political scientists ands sociologists who have 
worked in areas of study influenced by Galbraith's research and 
publications. The value of the project has been recognised by Past 
and Present: its editorial board has agreed to associate this 
distinguished journal with the conference.  The full programme can be
found at 

http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/hisar/newsandevents/history/galbraith-conference.html 

Speakers: Anthony Badger (Cambridge), Roger Backhouse (Birmingham), 
Michael Dietrich (Sheffield), James Foreman-Peck (Cardiff), Giuseppe
Fontana (Leeds), Matthew Hilton (Birmingham), Roger Middleton (Bristol),
Richard Parker (Harvard), Noel Thompson (Swansea). The conference will
conclude with a discussion led by Alan Milward (LSE and EUI) and Jim
Tomlinson (Dundee).


Scott Newton