Deadline for proposals: Friday 29th November 2024
International commerce has always relied on the ability to transfer funds across space and time but the evolution
of the mechanics and strategies of cross-border payments remains somewhat murky. The main route for global
payments in modern times has been through inter-bank relationships through which bank customers order and
settle payments across borders. This framework of correspondent banking has survived the move in technology
from paper to telegraph to electronic payments systems and persists into the digital era. Since 2008 the extent of
the correspondent banking network has shrunk due to a variety of factors including costs of Know Your Customer
and Anti-Money Laundering/Anti-Finance of Terrorism regulations. This changing pattern has prompted recent
research on the dynamics of the global correspondent banking network at the Financial Stability Board and the
Bank for International Settlements, but to date the historical research on this critical infrastructure is limited.
This conference seeks to bring together research on cross-border payments systems in a range of historical
contexts. All related issues are welcome; topics might include:
Case studies of cross-border payments focused on specific countries or institutions or periods
Development of the architecture of global payments: SWIFT, CLS, regional payments
Inclusion and exclusion of some countries or actors in the global payments system over time
Regulatory and supervisory issues related to payments and settlement
Technological change and global payments
Global payments and war, crisis or political friction
The payments system and financial sanctions in historical perspective
Conference publication: We expect to publish a selection of papers from the conference in an edited collection.
Submission details: Proposed titles and paper abstracts of c. 800 words, along with a short CV, should be submitted
to glocobank@history.ox.ac.uk by Friday 29th November 2024. Participants will be notified in mid-December if their
proposal has been accepted.
Other information: The conference will be held at St Hilda’s College, Oxford on 27-28 March 2025. Where
participants are unable to fund their own expenses, some funds may be available to support the cost of travel and
accommodation
Conference organisers/enquiries: Professor Catherine R. Schenk | GloCoBank Project
About GloCoBank: ‘Global Correspondent Banking 1870–2000’ (GloCoBank) is a 5-year research project funded by
the European Research Council (ERC) which seeks to identify and analyse the international network of
correspondent banking relationships across the 20th century. For further information visit the project website.
