"Voluntary Action History Society, Third Research Conference" to be held at the University of Liverpool 16-18th July 2008 (360G-Wellcome-085620_Z_08_Z)

There is currently considerable scholarly interest in the history of charity and voluntary action. This is not limited either to the United Kingdom or to the concerns of philanthropists and charitable workers; a number recent publications seek to extend the study of voluntary action to new areas and periods, including colonial India and imperial Russia, and other important studies explore voluntary action from the perspective of the beneficiaries of charity. The Voluntary Action History Society Third Research Conference in 2008 aims to build on the interest generated b y recent conferences but also to provide a forum for discussion between scholars working in different chronological periods and in different parts of the world. Papers on medical charities represent the largest single topic area and will represent an important element in the conference, but there will also be presentations that focus on education, families and children, housing, overseas volunteering and international development and the archives and records of charitable organizations.