At the heart of CCWS's activities are the international conferences, symposiums, and workshops that it sponsors with its various partner institutions and UCSB departments. These events bring together faculty and graduate students from across the United States and abroad to pioneer new directions in Cold War history and diplomatic/foreign relations history.

The UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Student Conferences on the Cold War

A UCSB tradition since 1996 and sponsored in cooperation with the George Washington (University) Cold War Group (GWCW), and the LSE Cold War Studies Centre (CWSC). These graduate student conferences showcase exciting new scholarship on the Cold War era by an international contingent of graduate student presenters. UCSB and GWU first jointly sponsored this conference in 2003 (previously, both institutions had organized separate annual conferences) and the LSE joined as a co-sponsor in 2005.

• Twentieth Annual GWU-UCSB-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, to be held 2 May - 4 May 2024 at GWU. 
• Nineteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 11 May - 13 May 2023 at LSE.
• Eighteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 28 April - 30 April 2022 at UCSB.
• Seventeenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 2 May - 4 May 2019 at GWU.
• Sixteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 3 May - 5 May 2018 at LSE.
• Fifteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 27 April - 29 April 2017 at UCSB.
• Fourteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 21 April - 23 April 2016 at GWU.
• Thirteenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 30 April - 2 May 2015 at LSE.
• Twelth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, to be held 10-12 April 2014 at UCSB.
• Eleventh Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 25-27 April 2013 at GWU.
• Tenth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 19-21 April 2012 at LSE.
• Ninth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 14-16 April 2011 at UCSB.
• Eighth Annual GWU-UCSB-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 22-24 April 2010 at GWU.
• Seventh Annual GWU-UCSB-LSE International Graduate Cold War Conference, held 24-26 April 2009 at LSE. 
• Sixth Annual UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 4-5 April 2008 at UCSB.
• Fifth Annual GWU-UCSB-LSE International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held April 19-21 2007 at GWU.
• The Global Cold War: The 2006 LSE-GWU-UCSB International Graduate Conference on the Cold War, held 6-8 April 2006 at the LSE and the (UK) National Archives in Kew, Greater London.
• The Cold War and its Contexts: The 2005 UCSB-GWU-LSE International Graduate Student Conference on the Cold War, held 29-30 April 2005 at UCSB. 
• Second Annual GWU-UCSB Graduate Student Conference on the Cold War, held 30 April-1 May 2004 at the George Washington University.
• "Reconsidering the Cold War," the First UCSB-GWU Graduate Student Conference, held 2-3 May 2003 at UCSB. 

Since 2006 we have awarded a best paper prize, sponsored by the journal Cold War History. Please visit the prize announcement site for further details.

Reinterpreting the Cold War in Asia Conference Series

A three-part series covering the entire Cold War period in East Asia, bringing distinguished faculty together to reconceptualize how we view the history of the Cold War  in Asia.

• "Reinterpreting the Cold War in Asia, 1971-present"- (Spring 2007)
• "Asia and the Cold War, 1956-1971"- (22-23 March 2006)
• "Reinterpreting the Cold War in Asia, 1945-1956"- (30-31 March 2005)