Collective vs. Collected Memories, 1989–91 from an Oral History Perspective, Warsaw

Deadline: 15 May 2014
Open to: international applicants, interested in the conference topic
Benefit: participation at a conference, publication in a peer-reviewed journal or in a volume by an established international publisher

What is it about?

The Genealogies of Memory program invites scholars engaged in memory studies, oral history, or biographical research to discuss their conceptual agendas, focusing on how the change has been commemorated, remembered, or forgotten in Eastern Europe and beyond. Some of the questions that are going to be discussed at the conference taking place in Warsaw from 6 to 8 November 2014, are:

• Who are the primary agents of the memory of 1989–1991? For whom are the national and transnational events of that period important, how and why?
• What different horizons of expectation and realms of experience pertained in 1989–1991? How have these expectations and experiences been articulated, transmitted, and reconstructed?
• How have different groups, communities, milieus, or professional groups understood and discussed the origins, events and consequences of 1989–1991?
• How have dominant narratives of 1989–1991 evolved in the political, cultural, and academic-educational realms nationally and transnationally?
• To what extent and in what specific ways have such public narratives been translated into, reflected in, or contested by communicative and individual memories and vice-versa?

Welcomed are papers on the topic Collective vs Collected Memories: 1989–91 from an Oral History Perspective that go beyond analyzing individual cases, promise more general reflections on collective versus individual memory as (non-)corresponding research tools. Comparative perspectives are a crucial aspect of the Genealogies of Memory conferences and also the organizers intend to include a limited number of papers focused solely on theoretical issues.

Who can apply?

International candidates interested in the topic.

What are the benefits?

The conference participation is free of charge. For early career researchers, a limited number of travel stipends will be made available. In addition, selected papers are going to be published in a peer-reviewed journal or in a volume by an established international publisher.

How to apply?

Please send your abstract of no more than 300 words together with a short biographical statement by 15 May 2014. Abstracts will be selected by the academic committee. Notification on the acceptance of your proposal is expected by 15 June 2014. If accepted, you must submit your conference paper by 6 October in order to have it distributed to commentators in advance.

Please send your abstract and a biographical statement as well as all other inquiries to genealogies@enrs.eu.

Find the official call HERE.