As part of its "Emphasis Year in the History of Mathematics, " the University of Virginia will be hosting a three-day symposium, entitled Mathematics Unbound: The Evolution of an International Mathematical Community, 1800-1945, from 27 to 29 May 1999. This symposium aims to shed light on the historical processes and interactions involved in the development of what has become an international community of mathematicians.

Today's mathematical community takes its international character very much for granted, but this current status is a relatively recent phenomenon. During the period from 1800 to 1945, a time of immense political and cultural upheaval, mathematicians (and other scientists) evolved from being relatively isolated practitioners within their own national communities into members of an extended society of fellow scholars to whom the quest for the advancement of mathematical knowledge transcended national boundaries.

To date, much historical scholarship has focused on the development of national mathematical communities and on national mathematical developments. Owing perhaps to the linguistic difficulties associated with a comparative, international research focus as well as to the difficulties in assembling source materials from a wide range of countries, little work has been directed toward coming to terms with the internationalization of the field. By focusing an international group of historians of mathematics on this issue, however, this conference aims to provide meaningful historical contextualization for a key feature of the modern mathematical world.

• Thomas Archibald, Acadia University (Canada)

"Hermite, Darboux, and the Promotion of German Mathematics in post-1870 France"

• Elena Ausejo, University of Zaragoza (Spain)

"Spanish Initiatives to Bring Mathematics in Spain into the International Mainstream"

• June Barrow-Green, The Open University (United Kingdom)

"Mittag-Leffler's Foundation and Administration of Acta Mathematica"

• Liliane Beaulieu, Université de Montreal (Canada)

"Bourbaki and the Internationalization of an Approach to Mathematics"

• Aldo Brigaglia, University of Palermo (Italy)

"The First International Mathematical Community: The Circolo matematico di Palermo"

• Joseph Dauben, City University of New York (United States)

• Sloan Despeaux, Graduate Student, University of Virginia (United States)

• Della Fenster, University of Richmond (United States)

"American Initiatives toward Internationalization"

• Matthew Frank, Graduate Student, University of Chicago (United States)

• Alejandro Garciadiego, Universita Nationale Autonoma de Mexico

"Mexican Efforts to Participate in the International Mathematical Community"

• Hélène Gispert, Université de Paris-Sud (France)

"The Effects of War(s) on France's International Role, 1870-1914"

• Ivor Grattan-Guinness, Middlesex University (United Kingdom)

"End of dominance: the diffusion of French mathematics elsewhere in Europe,

1820 - 1870, and the ‘decline’ issue"

• Jeremy Gray, The Open University (United Kingdom)

• Mariano Hormigon, University of Zaragoza (Spain)

"The Internationalization of Mathematical Journals"

• Olli Lehto, University of Helsinki (Finland)

"Mathematics without Borders: The Formation of the International Mathematical Union"

• Jesper Lützen, University of Copenhagen (Denmark)

"International Participation in Liouville's Journal de mathématiques pures et appliquées"

• Laura Martini, University of Siena (Italy)

• Chikara Sasaki, University of Tokyo (Japan)

• Gert Schubring, University of Bielefeld (Germany)

"The ‘Research Ethos’ in Mathematics:- Myths, Origins, and Practices in Different Contexts"

• Sanford Segal, University of Rochester (United States)

"War, Refugees, and the Creation of an International Community"

• Reinhard Siegmund-Schultze,

"The Effects of Nazi Germany on the International Participation of German Mathematicians"

• Xu Yibao, Graduate Student, City University of New York (United States)

"Chinese-US Mathematical Relations, 1859-1949"

The meeting will begin on the morning of Thursday May 27, and close with a formal banquet on the evening of Saturday May 29.

If you wish to attend this meeting, please print off the following booking form and send it, with your check, to the address indicated.

NOTE: The organizers have booked 30 rooms at the Cavalier Inn (very close to the University) for the nights of Wednesday May 26 – Saturday May 29 (inclusive). If you would like to reserve one of these rooms for this period, please indicate this on the form. The cost will be $65 (plus tax) per night.

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Name (Mr/Mrs/Ms/Dr/Prof) : ________________________________

Address : ________________________________________________

________________________________________________

________________________________________________

Telephone : ______________________________________________

Fax : ________________________________________________

E-mail : ________________________________________________

University Affiliation

(if applicable) : _____________________________________

Fees (per person): Registration - $20

Banquet - $35

I would like to register for the Mathematics Unbound Symposium.

Date of Arrival: __________________________________________

Date of Departure: _______________________________________

Accompanied YES / NO

I wish to reserve a room at the Cavalier Inn from May 26 – 29. YES / NO

I enclose a check, payable to "Department of Mathematics" for $_____

Please return this form and your check, as soon as possible, to Dr. Adrian Rice, Department of Mathematics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA 22903-3199, U.S.A.

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