Network 17. Histories of Education in 2024 celebrated its 20th anniversary, which coincided with EERA’s 30th anniversary. While it organised no special activities to mark the occasion, the network did take the time at its network meeting to honour those who helped found it and guide it in fruitful directions or support it in spirit as (Link) Convenors and/or Honorary Network Members.
This year has also seen one long-time Convenor leave its ranks, namely: Christian Ydesen. Christian had already indicated last year that he wished to step down as convenor after ECER 2024. Network 17 is grateful for the work he has done as a Convenor, in the forms of paper, symposium and similar contributions, of course, but among other things also in terms of reviewing, collaboratively organising Network 17 workshops and drafting Network 17 Special Calls, collaborating in Network 17 projects, and not least creating bridges between Network 17 and Network 23. Policy Studies and Politics of Education. Christian has offered to stay on as a reviewer, and we hope he stays in touch more generally and wish him all the very best in his future endeavours.
In terms of this year’s ECER session, Network 17 had a total number of 40 accepted submissions (of which 2 panels), which is similar to previous years. The network did receive an unusually low number of panel submissions, though, and, exceptionally, no workshop or round table submissions. So, we are very keen to receive some more submissions in different formats than the individual paper one for the next ECER session in Belgrade, Serbia, hopefully tailored well to the Network 17 Special Call or cutting across disciplines as cross-network events.
Some of the highlights of this year’s conference were the Network 17 Special Call-targeted papers, as these helped establish a thread of conversation across network sessions. We hope submissions in the future will engage with NW17’s collaboratively drafted Special Call even more still, as Network 17’s focus and traditions are embedded within it. Like last year, NW17’s sessions alternated between the traditional paper-format sessions and panels/symposia.
With Network 17 having further improved its reviewing process, the quality of conference contributions overall was good, and critical feedback, if needed, was given in a kind and constructive manner as per Network 17’s culture.
Network17 further continues to work on the cross-network collaborative book project it initiated, to help mark EERA’s 30th and Network 17’s 20th anniversaries, which should get published in the EERA-supported transdisciplinary Springer book series by the first half of 2025 at the latest.
Network 17’s exchange scheme with the History of Education Society, UK (HES) aimed at encouraging mutual exchange and expansion in a more formalised manner, though successfully run last year, was put on hold until further notice due to funding issues.