2024 Joint NASOH/CNRS/Brock Conference, June 20-23, Brock University, St. Catharines, Ontario

With the conference held in the Niagara Peninsula it is fitting that the overall theme for the event concerns the Great Lakes, rivers, and canals that allow the movement of ships from the ocean into the heart of the North American continent. The route has played a crucial role in exploration, transportation, trade, and war across both the region and time. Throughout Canada, rivers allowed the movement of raw materials from wood and wheat to iron ore and the goods they made, nationally and globally. The inland waterways were the sites of settlement for First Nations and later settlers, serving as the link to supplies, commerce, and invasion. Canals, for defence and trade, were the giant engineering projects of their age, reshaping the land and communities through which they passed.

CNRS/NASOH invite people to submit proposals for papers at the 2024 conference on the topic of maritime history in relation to inland seas, rivers, and canals. Potential areas include, but are not limited to, exploration, ship building, canal construction, waterways, and conflict, shipping in relation to a specific trade, harbours, the fresh water fishing industry, and more. 

The conference conveners are also open to proposals on maritime-related subjects beyond the conference theme. Proposals that have an interdisciplinary approach are most welcomed.

Session and individual paper proposals should include: A) title; B) abstract, not exceeding 500 words; C) a 250 word biographical statement; D) contact information, including phone number, address, affiliation, and email.  Please submit this information as a single Word document, single-spaced, 12-point Times New Roman font, and not as a PDF. Accommodations for PowerPoint presentations will be provided; any other requirements, including audio-visual equipment, special outlets, or accommodation for disabilities should be included in the proposal.  Please note that all participants must register for the conference.

Panel proposals of no more than 3 papers are highly encouraged.  

This conference will have hybrid capabilities for international presenters (not including the United States or Canada).  If you are international and wish to present via zoom, please indicate in your proposal.  There will be additional opportunities to attend virtually as well.  

The deadline for proposal submission is February 1, 2024.  Please submit proposal packets electronically to the Program Committee care of Thomas Malcomson, at mailto:CNRSNASOHBrock2024conference@gmail.com 

Student travel grants

Students may apply for a Chad Smith Travel Grant to assist in travel to present a paper at the conference. Additionally, each year NASOH bestows the Clark G. Reynolds Student Paper Award to the author of the best graduate student paper delivered at the conference.  Please see the awards section of the NASOH website for details. https://nasoh.org/student-awards  Students wishing to be considered for either award must indicate so as part of their paper proposal.  

Canadian students are encouraged to apply for the CNRS’s Gerry Panting Award for New Scholars to assist with expenses associated with traveling to the conference. Details for this award are available at: https://www.cnrs-scrn.org/books_and_awards/panting_e.html.

Students cannot apply for both the Chad Smith and the Gerry Panting Award.