Greetings --

For the Conference on New York State History, to meet in Buffalo on June
4-6, 1998, I'd like to put together a panel on the economy and
urban-hinterland relations of New York (city and state) in the broad
period of 1750-1850 or so.  I have a paper I'd like to present that
discusses the various reasons put forth for New York City's growth, and
suggests that the most significant is upstate New York's expansion --
although differs somewhat from Diane Liondstrom's interpretation (which
also stressed the importance of the interior).  Good matches would include
anything on urban-rural relations (economic or otherwise), the rural New
York economy, the growth of pre-Erie Canal transportation networks, or
anything dealing with trade and frontier expansion.  A panel should be
three papers and a commentator/moderator; once I have some proposals for
papers I will begin to talk with some potential moderators.  The deadline
for proposals is December 31, so there is a little time but I'd like to
get things set well in advance.


Thanks.

Rit Aggarwala
Ph.D. Candidate, U.S. History
Columbia University