Inventing America:
The Interplay of Technology and Democracy in Shaping American Identity
Call for Papers
As part of its year-long commemoration of the 300th anniversary of Benjamin
Franklin's birth, the Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of
Invention and Innovation invites scholars to submit papers for a conference
to be held at the University of Virginia from 3-4 November 2006. This
conference is being co-sponsored by the UVa Department of Science,
Technology, and Society and the Robert H. Smith International Center for
Jefferson Studies at Monticello.
Throughout our nation's history, Americans have enthusiastically embraced
new technology, and have been willing to experiment with new political ideas
and practices. While we acknowledge that invention in both technology and
politics has shaped American identity, we seldom look at how they interact.
This program will examine how Franklin and his contemporaries saw technology
as integral to the creation of a new form of government, a democratic
republic, as well as how Americans since Franklin's time have wrestled with
the interplay of technology and democracy. Among the themes that the
conference will address are:
How did the Founding Fathers such as Franklin, Jefferson, Hamilton and
Washington see technology as integral to the creation of a new political
culture in America? How has their vision of technology and democracy
continued to shape American identity?
How have individuals and groups used technological innovation to foster
democracy at different times in American history? Where have technology and
democracy been in tension?
How do communications technologies-such as voting machines, text messaging,
or weblogs-affect the practices of democracy?
What is the role of technology in the spread of democratic values and
institutions around the world?
Proposals should be no more than 500 words and accompanied by a short CV.
The deadline for submissions is 9 June 2006. Proposals will be reviewed by
a committee comprised of representatives from the sponsoring organizations.
To encourage participation from a variety of disciplines, the Lemelson
Center will help to defray the costs of travel. To submit a proposal or for
more information, contact Maggie Dennis, Lemelson Center historian,
202-633-3441, [log in to unmask]
The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center documents, interprets, and disseminates
information about invention and innovation to encourage inventive creativity
in young people, and to foster an appreciation for the central role that
invention and innovation play in the history of the United States. Please
visit us on the web at http://www.invention.smithsonian.org.
The UVa Department of Science, Technology, and Society seek to advance
understanding of the social and ethical dimensions of science and
technology. Working with other groups at UVa, the STS Department is
developing a major teaching and research initiative into the interaction of
technology and democracy. For more information, see
http://www.tcc.virginia.edu.
The Robert H. Smith International Center for Jefferson Studies promotes the
ongoing study of Thomas Jefferson internationally by building a network of
scholars, teachers, and resources; by helping to define new areas of
investigation; and by applying new technologies to Jefferson scholarship.
The Center can be contacted at http://www.monticello.org.
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