During the morning of September 8, the final day of the 2017 GHC Summer School, Yaruipam Muivah (EHESS) and Fabian Steininger (Free University of Berlin) presented reports. Muivah’s paper, “Servitude and Abolition in Colonial North-East India, 1881-1930,” analyzed the slave system in Northeast India and its abolition. Discussant Christoph Plath questioned how this case should be placed in global history. Muivah exchanged views with participants on the floor about the slave system’s relationship with the African slave system and its association with the concepts of freedom and capitalism. Participants also discussed the significance of conducting case studies on Northeast India based on numerous past research.

Next, Steininger presented “Mass Violence against Istanbul Armenians in August 1896,” a chapter from his doctoral thesis, which deals with morals in the Ottoman Empire. Steininger focused on the emotion of collective “anger” and interpreted the violence against Armenians that occurred in Istanbul in 1896. Discussant Yuki Terada commented on the relationship between mass emotions and actions and individuals, asking how the words “revolt,” “massacre,” and “genocide” are used in Turkey. Participants on the floor asked specific questions and commented on how to develop the way of writing his thesis and article.

In the afternoon, a roundtable-style discussion on the topic of “National Narratives of Global Integration” was held, with senior members as the main panelists. First, Assistant Professor Matthew Karp introduced the history of the American Civil War in the context of the history of the North America. He also discussed the concepts of democracy, capitalism, freedom and equality. Next, Professor Masashi Haneda explained changes in the understanding and writing of history in Japan, introducing the background leading to the birth of the field called “Oriental history” and differences in Japan’s view of history before and after the Second World War. Next, using examples Professor Alessandro Stanziani discussed the distinctiveness of Soviet history. Assistant Natasha Wheatley did the same with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Based on these presentations, Professor Sebastian Conrad asserted that they had both distinctiveness in their national histories and global universality. He also brought up the sense of inferiority that arises when writing national history amid interactions with the outside world and commented that it is an element that should be taken into account when thinking about global integration. Finally, the panelists exchanged views with participants on the floor about methods of writing global history based on national histories or transcending individual national history, and how research results can be appropriately presented going forward.

After the end of the program, 2017 GHC Summer School participants were given a certificate of completion from their Berlin host, bringing five days of presentations and discussions to a close. The GHC Summer School was held for the third time this year. Because there are a number of senior members who have participated every year and graduate students who have participated two times now, their experience allowed the summer school programs to be smoothly carried out. There is a plan for junior members to continue their discussions online and sustain their exchanges. (Yuki Terada)