Associational Activity in the Plurinational Societies of Central Europe (19th–20th Century)

Call for papers

Historiography and theoretical work on associations are surprisingly limited and uneven, and this observation is all the more striking when we look at the countries of Central and Eastern Europe. This special issue proposes to bring together contributions that fit within the framework of a problem-oriented social and cultural history of voluntary association in Central Europe in the nineteenth twentieth centuries. It is open to a wide range of cultural, educational, charitable, economic, and other associations – and suggests several lines of inquiry. They are the following:

• The ways associations become institutionalized and the professionalization of those involved in them. The aim is to challenge the common view of associations as a traditional sphere of activity rooted in charity or aristocratic philanthropy, and instead to see them as vehicles for the aspirations and demands of certain groups that seek to transform society, the empire, or the nation.
• One of the recent additions to the history of voluntary association has come from reconsidering the role of non-state, non-profit, and philanthropic actors in the field of welfare, paving the way for a dynamic of public/private co-construction. Known as the "mixed economy of welfare," this new field, has seen significant growth. Yet initial assessments point to areas that require further exploration. This is particularly true for the forms of cooperation between associations, public authorities, and state bodies, as well as for their restructuring during political transitions.
• The influence of confessional and/or national affiliations on the organization of associations is a central issue in societies divided along religious or national lines: Have these frameworks become institutionalized, or do we observe new forms of associational organization that cut across these affiliations? Do we see new civic ideals, new forms of solidarity – national or otherwise – leading to a secularized philanthropy distinct from traditional and community-based mutual aid? Were these processes overlapping with the nationalization of voluntary associations, or were they independent of national movements? What were the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion that arose from the different forms of group organization?

To apply, please submit an abstract (max. 450 words) with the author’s affiliation and ORCID by 31 May 2026, to Morgane Labbé (morgane.labbe@ehess.fr) and Gábor Czoch (czoch.gabor@btk.elte.hu). The editorial board will decide on invitations by 15 June 2026; the deadline for submitting the full paper is 15 February 2027; publication is expected in the summer 2027 issue of HSCE.