Moved Apart studies how separation was communicated in East Asia and Europe during the 16th and 17th centuries. Characteristic of the 16th and 17th centuries was an increase in global mobility that connected the world in new ways. Mobility increased within East Asia and Europe, but also between the two regions. Historical studies have often focused on the aim of mobility, and on the encounters and connections it led to. Our project reverses this bias: distance in time and space means separation between people. With this new focus, both parts of mobility are made visible – those who moved and those who remained. Both experienced separation. This novel approach to globalization allows more attention to the experiences of women, as those who more often remained behind. The program thus contributes methodologically, theoretically and empirically to various fields in early modern research, and promises a broad impact both within and beyond the global historical field.

This conference seeks proposals that contribute to further our knowledge of how separation was communicated in different parts of the world (Africa, America, Asia, Europe) in the 16th and 17th centuries. We particularly encourage submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following themes:
Life Stages. How did life stages shape experience of separation as a fundamental part of everyday life, as people grew up, left home, relocated, found themselves and navigated their place within the world, and in turn how did separations shape premodern experience of life stages?
Time and Space. How was separation experienced through spatial, geographic and temporal forms of perceived distance and in turn how did separation shape the perceptions and realities of space, time, and geography?
Letters. How was separation shaped by letters, particularly their rhetorical and material dimensions, and in turn how did separation shape epistolarity and postal practices?
We invite scholars interested in presenting their research at the conference to send a 300-word abstract to project assistant Cecilia Lundström at cecilia.lundstrom@hist.lu.se
The deadline for submitting a proposal is 3 March 2025 and you will be notified of the results by the end of March 2025.