We have put together these guidelines for holding FRESH meetings. Please read them carefully. We are flexible, so please ask if you see any problems with the instructions below.
I. Responsibilities of the host:
a. The local organisers are responsible for providing a venue, including electronic equipment, plus refreshments, lunch and dinner for all participants (usually about 12-24 for a one-day workshop).
b. The local organisers are strongly encouraged to invite a keynote speaker who stays throughout the meeting and comments on the presentations.
c. The local organisers are strongly encouraged to invite the local faculty members to participate in the meeting (not only the keynote presentation) and to comment on the presentations of all the participants.
d. The local organisers should publicise the meeting through the relevant local channels. A call for papers will be provided and circulated by the FRESH organisers through the main channels (see below).
e. The local organisers will collect all the applications.
f. The local organisers should set up a selection committee which will be responsible for selecting the participants together with the FRESH contact person (see below). The local organisers are responsible for notifying applicants of the decision.
g. The local organisers may set up a website where the participants can download information about the meeting, including the papers presented.
h. The host covers all the costs associated with the matters mentioned above.
i. The host holds the entire financial responsibility regarding the matters mentioned above.
II. Responsibilities of the FRESH initiative:
a. One member of the FRESH board will act as a contact person.
b. At least one member of the FRESH board (usually the contact person) will attend the meeting.
c. The member of the FRESH board cover their own costs associated with attending the meeting (i.e. travel and accommodation) except for the cost mentioned above (i.e. refreshment, lunch and dinner). However, we much appreciate if the host is able to cover some or all of our travel and accommodation expenses.
d. The FRESH board will like to reserve one presentation slot on the meeting programme.
e. The FRESH board will produce a call for papers and publicise the meeting through our website, as well as on the EH.News and other relevant websites.
f. A small non-refundable fee (usually £60) will usually be payable by non-local participants on acceptance of their application or shortly thereafter. The participants from the hosting university do not pay a fee. The fees cover expenses in connection with running the FRESH meeting.
g. The fees will be collected by the host institution. The details regarding the payments will be provided, so that they can be send out along with the letter of acceptance.
h. Thanks to the kind assistance of the European Historical Economics Society, the FRESH board will be able to offer some financial support to junior participants.
III. The Meeting Format:
a. The meetings build on the concept that scholars present their “fresh”, i.e. ongoing research at an early stage; that is, before it becomes published as a working paper or the like, and certainly before it is published in journals or books.
b. The main aim of the meetings is to gather researchers in a friendly and non-imposing environment where they can present their research and receive constructive criticism from their peers.
c. Normally, any theme is welcome, but the local organisers may decide to go for a specific theme if they wish.
d. The meetings may last one or more days, depending on the preferences of the host.
e. We normally do not accept parallel sessions.
f. Since the meeting is also a social event and a possibility of getting to know ones peers, we encourage the that meeting program include many and long breaks, and possibly social events during or after the meeting.
g. We encourage participants to give relatively a short presentation (usually 15-20 minutes), allowing some time also for questions and discussion (usually 10-15 minutes).
h. Participants should prepare their presentation in order to target a general audience of economic and social historians. The idea is that, in this way, they will get to think about their research in broader terms.
i. All participants and local faculty are expected to participate the entire day.
j. To comply with the point above, a “one-day” meeting may start around noon on one day and end around noon on the next day.
Chris Colvin, Rowena Gray, Anna Missiaia and Judy Stephenson