It is the first time that Â鶹ֱ²¥ University has hosted the event, which will see about 100 presentations by scholars from over 30 different countries across the world.
Bringing the 2023 ASEN Conference to Â鶹ֱ²¥ has been possible thanks to the pioneering research, critical mass and international reputation of the Â鶹ֱ²¥ University Nationalism Network (LUNN), which gathers over 30 scholars and PhD students based in four Schools at Â鶹ֱ²¥ and in the Institute for Diplomacy and International Governance at Â鶹ֱ²¥ University London.
LUNN was founded in 2014 by Dr Marco Antonsich, Senior Lecturer in Human Geography, who leads the network and has been instrumental in the organisation of this conference.
He said: “It’s a privilege and honour to host the ASEN Annual Conference at Â鶹ֱ²¥. This is a testament to the significant research that LUNN colleagues have produced in the field of nations and nationalism.
“The conference is also an opportunity to celebrate the ground-breaking work in the study of banal nationalism of Michael Billig, LUNN member and Emeritus Professor of Social Sciences at Â鶹ֱ²¥, who will offer the first keynote of the conference.”
ASEN is one of the two main associations worldwide for the study of nations and nationalism, a highly cross-disciplinary field bringing together scholars in history, politics, sociology, psychology and geography, among others.
Michael Hoyler, Head of Geography and Environment, said: “I’m delighted to see this important event come to Â鶹ֱ²¥.
“The conference addresses a theme of immense relevance in our turbulent world, and one to which colleagues in the School of Social Sciences and Humanities and the wider Â鶹ֱ²¥ University Nationalism Network have made agenda-setting contributions.”
The 2023 ASEN Conference will be preceded by the traditional Ernest Gellner Lecture on Sunday 2 April, delivered by Professor Andrew Wilson (UCL) on “”, which will also be live-streamed on and .
More information about the conference is available on the and LUNN websites.