Interest in public history and transnational history has continued to grow worldwide. On the one hand, public history is an effective means of engaging broader audiences with historical scholarship. From a methodological standpoint, moreover, its emphasis on collaboration and shared authority encourages the inclusion of diverse stakeholders to support the production and dissemination of historical knowledge. At the same time, transnational history recognizes that despite the continuing importance of the nation-state as a unit of analysis for modern history, there are some historical processes that require a wider lens to adequately capture. By themselves, public history and transnational history pose problems for practitioners. Combining the two creates unique challenges—but also opportunities.

This roundtable seeks to initiate a broad conversation about the practice of transnational public history. It does so by bringing together diverse stakeholders currently working in the field of transnational public history, particularly as it pertains to Austrian-American history: The Austrian Marshall Plan Center for European Studies (Center Austria) at the University of New Orleans; the Austrian Embassy in the United States; the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies; the Tyrolean Photo Archive (TAP) in Lienz, Austria; and the Austrian Cultural Forum New York (ACFNY). Not only will this roundtable include diverse institutions outside of the academy, but the panelists stem from several fields including history, political science, and cultural studies.

The roundtable will begin with each contributor discussing their recent activity in public history. For Center Austria, this will focus on a recent “COIL” (“Collaborative Online International Learning”) project performed jointly by the University of New Orleans and the University of Innsbruck. This culminated in students producing a historical research podcast. Representatives from the Austrian Embassy in the United States, the TAP, and the ACFNY will discuss their ongoing public history and cultural projects and emphasize their utility in public diplomacy. As a grant-making institution, the Botstiber Institute for Austrian-American Studies will address the funding needs of such projects and share its expertise in the facilitation of both small and large-scale projects across borders.

Thereafter the discussion will shift to address some of the current obstacles to transnational public history projects. These will include perennial issues of funding, and the need to engage diverse stakeholders. Presently, political developments on both sides of the Atlantic are also changing the context for transnational public history.

Finally, the panelists will move to identify opportunities for transnational public history going forward. Topics will include the adoption of new digital tools to aid the dissemination of public history (and specifically the need to conceptualize them as omni-channel projects). Transnational public history’s role in bolstering public appreciation of the humanities will also be discussed.

By adopting the roundtable format, which encourages congenial conversation, this session can best achieve its goal of discussing best practices in public history in an international context. We hope to reach an audience interested in learning about and contributing to transnational public history collaborations.