CfP: Academies of S&T in science diplomacy, InsSciDE project

Call for papers

Academies of sciences, technology and engineering have been involved in international action from very early on in their existence. Since the 18th century, they have played a notable role in the circulation of ideas across borders.
The status of academies made them actors of scientific universalism but also ambassadors of their country. The election of foreign academy members was an essential element of this circulation of ideas and the constitution of informal networks. Bilateral agreements have also enabled development of relations between academies. These agreements emphasize the institutional dimension of the academies and their capacity to build networks beyond the personal relationships between scientists.

After the Second World War, the collective action of academies was directed towards specific fields, and initiatives emerged to defend human rights and support scientists persecuted in totalitarian countries. Academies took on key issues at an international level, such as ethics, development and the environment, while remaining faithful to their original mission of promoting and defending science.
Global issues have thus been progressively integrated into this continuum which sees scientists trying to contribute to the common good in a transnational way. Following dynamics of internationalization, new forms of joint work between academies have appeared since the last third of the 20th century, within two main models: networks of national academies and academies that integrate scientists from a large group of nations within a single structure.

On 22 March 2022, the Horizon 2020 project InsSciDE organizes a study day in the lead-up to its Lisbon Open Conference.

Academies have played a significant role in structuring the concept of science diplomacy, notably with the Royal Society’s 2010 report ‘New frontiers in science diplomacy’ published with AAAS. Phases of academies’ international involvement and their role in the affirmation of science diplomacy will constitute the key questions of the meeting.

The aim of this day is to make a first assessment of these questions, already addressed by some works but in a scattered and incomplete way. Papers may take the form of complete texts, works-in-progress or research proposal. Historiographical points will be valuable, as will presentations of documentary and archival sources.

Without excluding other approaches, four types of communication can be identified:

• Monographs devoted to an academy and its international actions (origins, types of internal structuring, means, interactions with other actors in the country concerned and, in particular, with national diplomacy).
• Monographs presenting the origin, creation and development of structures with an international vocation. They can be integrated, such as the European Academy of Sciences and Arts or the African Academy of Sciences; or they can be federative, such as the All European Academies.
• Approaches dedicated to a specific academy or to a group of academies that are transversal to the action of the academies in the fields that have marked their international commitment (human rights, environment, development, etc.).
• Cross-cutting and synthetic approaches to the main elements of the internationalization of academies (foreign members, shared conferences, visits, cooperation agreements, etc.).

All geographical areas as well as all types of academies (Sciences, Arts, Technologies) can be addressed in the proposal. The meeting initiates a process that aims to publish a collective work with De Gruyter. We therefore welcome papers presenting either research in progress or finalized, with the view of realizing a reference work. Papers based on work already published but likely to be valuable for the reflections of the group are also welcome.

The meeting is currently foreseen to be held in person. Limited virtual attendance may be organized.

Please submit a one-page abstract outlining the topic being addressed and a curriculum vitae to:
mpd@fct.unl.pt. Subject line: Academies_proposal

Deadline for abstracts: 23 December 2021
Selection decisions: 10 January 2021
Meeting: 22 March 2022
Submission of final papers and publication of the special issue: TBD