Tampere University, Finland
October 8–9, 2026 (DL August 31, 2026)
Organiser: Making the Modern ‘Meat Complex’ project
Keynote Speakers: Paul Sharp (SDU), Mary Hilson (Aarhus University), Alejandro Gomez del Moral (University of Helsinki)
Theme and scope
This symposium invites historians and other scholars with a historical perspective to explore the political economy of meat production from the late 19th to the mid-20th century. The focus will be on the institutional, organisational and structural frameworks that shaped the expansion, commercialisation and industrialisation of livestock production, particularly of pigs, within a global capitalist context.
We encourage submissions that address, but are not limited to, the following questions and themes:
Institutional and organisational dynamics
How did local, cooperative, corporate, governmental and international actors and interest groups shape the political economy of meat? What role did policies, legislation and economic structures play in transforming animal agriculture into a market-oriented industry?
Market formation and economic logic
In what ways did the transformation of animals into economic entities (through quantitative metrics, pricing and profit-seeking, for example) normalise the utilitarian treatment of farmed animals?
Transnational and comparative perspectives
How did Finnish developments compare with or interact with those in other Nordic countries, Europe or the Global North? What knowledge, technologies and commodities connected local practices to global trends, and how did they flow?
Entanglements of power and agency
In what ways did the political economy of meat intersect with nationalism, agrarianism, cooperative movements and other ideological and practical currents?
Everyday practices, human-animal relations and infrastructures
In what ways did the political economy of meat manifest itself in the daily lives of farmers, slaughterers, traders and other relevant individuals? In what ways did infrastructures (e.g. slaughterhouses and transportation networks) shape and reflect these economic relations?
The symposium aims to critically examine the co-production of humans and livestock within these economic systems, drawing attention to the frequently overlooked role of non-human animals in shaping historical processes.
Submission guidelines
We welcome proposals for 20-minute papers that engage with the above themes. Submissions should include:
- A title
- An abstract of 300–400 words
- A brief CV (1 page max) highlighting relevant research and publications
Deadline for proposals: August 31, 2026
Notification of acceptance: September 3, 2026
Please submit your proposal as a single PDF file to mmmc@tuni.fi.
Practical information
Language: The symposium will be conducted in English.
Accommodation: A limited number of travel and accommodation reimbursements will be available for presenters. Priority will be given to early-career researchers and those without institutional funding.
About the organiser
This symposium is organized by the Making the Modern ‘Meat Complex’ project, funded by Research Council of Finland (decision 369144). The project investigates the historical roots of industrial livestock production in Finland (ca. 1880s–1960s), with a focus on the political, economic, and multispecies dimensions of agricultural modernization.
Contact
For inquiries, please contact:
Marja Jalava (PI), Petteri Norring, Hilja Solala, Olli Turunen
mmmc@tuni.fi | Making the Modern ‘Meat Complex’