XLV Meeting of the Portuguese Association of Economic and Social History (APHES)

 

The 45th edition of the APHES Meeting will take place on November 6th and 7th, 2026 at the University of Minho and proposes a debate on War Economies / Societies at War.

War economies and war societies; economic wars; societies at war. These are not mere word games. All these realities exist, or have existed, in different times and spaces, from the most ancient to the most recent, or from the most remote to the most recent, in different contexts and in diverse forms, encompassing or presenting characteristics and realities that are often similar, others more specific and distinctive.

Unfortunately, recent developments, particularly in recent months in Europe and the Mediterranean, have brought these issues back to the center of public and collective concerns, after decades during which, from a Western perspective, armed conflicts seemed associated with ancient times or distant geographies. It is now undeniable that the “drums of war” have returned with force to the West and, it seems, are here to stay.

 

Thus, the 45th APHES Meeting, mindful of this reality, proposes to bring war, in its multiple economic and social facets, to the center of the debate, placing it in historical perspective and contributing to broadening the discussion and reflection in the public sphere, beyond immediacy and the very recent past. This will naturally be included, but it is intended to be enriched with a much broader diachronic dimension, ideally from Ancient Greece and Rome at least, through the Medieval and Modern periods, to the Contemporary era.

A multifaceted perspective is sought, therefore appealing to the contributions of various social and human sciences, from history and archaeology to economics, but also to sociology, anthropology, law, architecture, geography, heritage sciences, and communication, among others.

The discussion of concepts will also be encouraged. It starts from a general understanding of the concept of “war” and a global vision of it. For this reason, all forms of “war” fall within the theme of this 45th Meeting. This includes armed conflicts, that is, effective and real military actions, or merely announced ones, such as deterrent threats, economic wars, technological wars, and others.

 

Thus, although not exclusively, the following thematic axes are proposed for this 45th APHES Meeting:
– Concepts, vocabulary, objects of analysis: war, armed conflicts, political-military conflicts, whether armed or not (i.e., armed conflicts, Cold War, hybrid wars, technological wars, wars for areas of influence and proxies, among others).
– Sources and methodologies for economic and social analysis of wars and conflicts.
– Costs and financing of war.
– Politics, diplomacy, and war.
– Economic and social objectives of war and conflicts (access to resources and markets, control of territories, populations, and areas of influence, …).
– Social and economic consequences of war and conflicts.
– Military recruitment and military technological development, from an economic and social perspective.
– Social analysis and military recruitment (social/ethnic and religious groups, or identity/gender/age groups).

– Social and economic experiences: death, health, illness, and physical and psychological trauma in military and civilians; income (poverty/abundance).

– Propaganda, information, and communication in conflicts: the economic and social aspect, in articulation with the political, cultural, and ideological dimensions. The transmission of knowledge and information.

– Representations of wars: past, present, and future.

– Heritage of conflicts and war: Landscapes, territories, and constructions of buildings or structures.

– Theory and ideology with economic and social implications applied to conflicts.

Individual or panel presentations exploring different historical and geographical perspectives are welcome. Each proposer may submit a maximum of two presentations to the Meeting (one as the main author and another as a second author).

Applications must be submitted in Portuguese, English, or Spanish by May 15, 2026, by completing the following forms:

Individual presentation proposal: https://forms.gle/RCsuuagWJVMEzFgV7
Proposed panel (with three presentations): https://forms.gle/wtCAAbgGTpDBqD5D9

 

Calendar:

– Proposal submission period: February 24 to May 15, 2026

– Announcement of accepted proposals: June 30, 2026

– Application for APHES Scholarships: July 10 to September 15, 2026 | More information here.

– Submission deadline for the Pedro Lains Award: September 30, 2026 | More information here.

 

Registration:

Early registration: July 10 – September 15, 2026
– APHES members: €80
– Non-APHES members: €80 + €30 annual fee
– APHES student members: €35
– Non-APHES student members: €35 + €15 annual fee

 

Late registration: September 16 – October 7, 2026
– APHES members: €100
– Non-APHES members: €100 + €30 annual fee
– APHES student members: €45
– Non-APHES student members: €45 + €15 annual fee

 

For any questions, the Organizing Committee of the XLV Meeting can be contacted via email: 45aphes.uminho@gmail.com.