The middle of the month of June promises to be very busy for me, as I shall be presenting two conference papers in quick succession. I’m going to be presenting at the Business History Conference in Milan, 11-13 June. My paper for this year’s BHC looks at what the British companies that lobbied for Canadian Confederation. More specifically, it looks at what happened to these firms after 1867. The paper title is: “The Dollars and Cents of British Imperialism: The Political Economy of British Investment in Canada, 1867-1914”.
On 15 June, I shall be presenting at a symposium at the Menzies Centre for Australian Studies, King’s College London. This symposium is about Finance, Empire, and the British World, c.1850-1914. My paper for the event at the Menzies Centre is called “Culture, Preferences, and Rationality: The Political Economy of the Investment in Canada, 1867-1914.” The symposium will re-examine the role of British finance in the history of Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and Canada. It will examine not only the economics of the relationship, but also its political, social, and cultural aspects, drawing on debates about Gentlemanly Capitalism and the British World. The symposium was organized by Dr Andrew Dilley.
Both conferences look really promising. The BHC has attracted some top talent from around the world. Andrew Dilley has invited some very promising scholars to the symposium in London, including Peter Cain, someone for whom I have tremendous admiration.
The Past Speaks 