[Discussion] CfP: Approaching European History From Southeast European
Perspectives, 25-27 January 2007, Ruhr-Universität B
ochum
Onur İnal
oinal@ku.edu.tr
Mon, 4 Jul 2005 14:20:02 +0300
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Call for Papers
Approaching European History From Southeast European Perspectives:=20
Comparing Social Movements and Social Change in the 19th and 20th =
Centuries
25-27 January 2007, Institut f=FCr soziale Bewegungen,
Ruhr-Universit=E4t Bochum=20
The Balkans have been defined as Western Europe's negative alter-ego =
(Todorova) on the one hand, and as a historical space sui generis on the =
other (Sundhaussen). Methodological discussions on comparative and =
integrative European history pay little attention to Southeast European =
structures and agencies as parts of overall European phenomena. When =
they do include the region, scholars compare Empires (Habsburg and =
Ottoman), conduct inner-Southeast European comparisons, or choose case =
studies in Southeast, Central, and Eastern Europe, but these are rare =
examples and pertain mostly to research yet underway. The general and =
often rather unreflected coining of the Balkans as a synonym for =
backwardness, fragmentation, and instability - a "sense of lag and =
lack", as Maria Todorova has recently coined it - [1] has produced a =
massive literature in the 1990s, sparked mostly by
the violent break-up of Yugoslavia, which often served as a synonym for =
the whole region. Interestingly, when it comes to comparative research, =
the genuine West-versus-Balkan comparison, which so often conditions =
mental prerequisites when thinking of Southeastern Europe, has in fact =
hardly been taken up by scholars.
The workshop aims at contributing to a renewed reflection on such =
long-established mental maps which, over the last decade, have indeed =
been re-designed to approach Western and Eastern Europe, but have, at =
the same time, mostly marginalized the Southeast. By taking up issues =
crucial for Southeast European history and comparing them to structures =
and agencies in the rest of Europe, the conference thus focusses on a =
rather neglected geographical (and mental) angle.
The workshop hopes to attract the interest of scholars working on social =
movements and/or social change in all European spaces - and not =
necessarily in a comparative manner. In the ideal case, proposals will =
prove apt to be combined into comparable topical and methodological =
clusters, leading to panels fruitfully juxtaposing, say, national =
identity constructions in Germany, Serbia, Italy, and Greece, religious =
contest in Bulgaria, Sweden, Bosnia and Prussia, migratory processes in =
Saloniki, Amsterdam, Istanbul and Marseille ...
Panels will be clustered along both (1) methodological and (2) thematic =
aspects.
(1) All issues should be linked by a common methodological and =
problem-oriented approach, in order to provide for an inspiring and =
fruitful basis for comparison:
- Research should be based on an agency-oriented approach. Mentalities, =
attitudes, and perceptions expressed by historical individuals or =
micro-historical groups are conditioned by their interaction with =
social, economic, political, as well as ideological contexts. Studying =
communicative networks between individuals and their surrounding =
settings leads to exemplary analyses of social structures and systems, =
which will allow interesting and challenging comparative discussions =
conditioned neither by time nor by space and, particularly important, =
going beyond a nationally coined historiography.
- Research should be process-oriented and take into view social =
movements and social change over a period of time that allows to assess =
continuities and discontinuities. This might be long-dur=E9e studies, =
but also studies that consider a shorter period characterized by a =
historical turning point, for example going beyond (at both ends) the =
years of the First or the Second World War, beyond years marked by =
changes of statal structures, political regimes or borders, or beyond =
important markers of (attempted) social change, i. e. revolutions and =
similar upheavals.
(2) The panels will be clustered along the following thematical units:=20
Mental Mapping - Perceptions of the Self and of the Other
The forceful - and sometimes rather unconscious - hierarchical or =
teleological mental map with regard to the stereotypical Southeast =
European "backwardness", in particular with regard to "the West", =
elucidates that the region still is perceived on the matrix of a Western =
European model progressiveness as the "other", as "deviant" and =
"fallacious". This comparison between progress and backwardness has long =
entered Southeast European discourses, too, fostering a difficult =
process of identity construction between a belated modernization and a =
self-confident individuality. The aim of this panel is to diversify this =
rather unilateral mental map by counterposing varying mental maps and =
mutual perceptions and stereotypes within Europe, and going beyond a =
simplistic West-versus-East cultural hierarchy.
National and religious identities
For Southeast Europe even more than for the rest of Europe is valid that =
geographical and social spaces more often than not are not compatible. =
The idea of the identity of nation and state lies at the root of many of =
the conflictual potentials in the region up to the present. The general =
post-socialist tendency to nationalize history-writing has largely =
prevented trans-national perspectives and has rather fostered =
historiographical interests that force contexts, problems, and processes =
into a framework too narrow to grasp all layers, colors, and "grey =
zones". Structural and multilateral as well as multilocal =
interconnections and relations went beyond national borders, and social =
spaces more often than not have to be defined trans-nationally to be =
adequately understood. This panel compares the construction and the =
mutual influence and intermingling of national, religious, and social
identities in given contexts, and focusses on phenomena of multiple =
identities, of national and religious segregation, assimilation, =
acculturation, adaptation, hybridization, and resistance.
Social Movements
Having in mind the stereotypical and unilateral image of the =
modern,progressive "West" transferring its cultural, political, =
economic, and social patrimony southeastwards, this panel compares =
European social movements - revolutions, rebellions, feminism, pacifism, =
socialism, fascism etc. -, attempting at diversifying this image. What =
is of interest here are the receptions and modifications of ideas being =
transferred from one social and cultural context to another, as well as =
the specific characteristics and means of expression of social movements =
in given contexts (democracies, dictatorial regimes etc.). Obviously, =
social movements often are associated with national and/or religious =
issues; this intermingling and the making of sense out of several layers =
of identity hence is a focal point of this panel also.
Social change and demographic mobility
Migratory processes of varying natures largely hold responsible for =
Southeast Europe's ethnic mixture. Yet migration, deportation, refuge, =
expulsion, and genocide are all-European phenomena characteristic for =
the 19th and especially the 20th century. Research having largely =
focussed on Western, Eastern, and Central Europe, this panel aims at =
contributing to adding comparative perspectives on Southeast European =
migratory and demographic processes. The panel is focussed on the social =
changes brought about in Europe by urbanisation, socalled ,social =
engineering', racial politics, ethnic and social ,cleansing', war etc.
The conference language is English.
Proposals should focus on methodological questions, problems, and =
innovations connected to a research project underway or recently =
completed.
=20
Deadline for submission: 30. November, 2005.
Please send your proposals to:
Dr. Sabine Rutar,=20
Ruhr-Universit=E4t Bochum,=20
Institut f=FCr soziale Bewegungen,=20
Clemensstr. 17-19, 44789 Bochum
e-mail: sabine.rutar@rub.de
[1] Maria Todorova, The Trap of Backwardness:
Modernity, Temporality, and the Study of Eastern European Nationalism, =
in: Slavic Review 64, no. 1, spring 2005, pp. 140-164, p. 145. This =
article, in fact, presents an ideal common analytical and methodological =
reference point for the aims of this Call for Papers and the =
contributions it hopes to attract.
Dr. Sabine Rutar=20
Institut f=FCr soziale Bewegungen=20
Ruhr-Universit=E4t Bochum
Clemensstr. 17-19
44789 Bochum
Tel. +49.(0)234.32-22626 (office)
Tel. +49.(0)234.2987747 (home)
Fax +49.(0)234.32-14249
sabine.rutar@ruhr-uni-bochum.de
www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/iga/isb/frameset_isb.htm
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<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen><STRONG>Call for =
Papers<BR><BR>Approaching=20
European History From Southeast European Perspectives: =
</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen><STRONG>Comparing Social =
Movements and=20
Social Change in the 19th and 20th =
Centuries</STRONG><BR><BR><STRONG>25-27=20
January 2007, Institut f=FCr soziale Bewegungen,<BR>Ruhr-Universit=E4t=20
Bochum</STRONG> <BR><BR> The Balkans have been defined as =
Western=20
Europe's negative alter-ego (Todorova) on the one hand, and as a =
historical=20
space sui generis on the other (Sundhaussen). Methodological discussions =
on=20
comparative and integrative European history pay little attention to =
Southeast=20
European structures and agencies as parts of overall European phenomena. =
When=20
they do include the region, scholars compare Empires (Habsburg and =
Ottoman),=20
conduct inner-Southeast European comparisons, or choose case studies in=20
Southeast, Central, and Eastern Europe, but these are rare examples and =
pertain=20
mostly to research yet underway. The general and often rather =
unreflected=20
coining of the Balkans as a synonym for backwardness, fragmentation, and =
instability - a "sense of lag and lack", as Maria Todorova has recently =
coined=20
it - [1] has produced a massive literature in the 1990s, sparked mostly=20
by<BR>the violent break-up of Yugoslavia, which often served as a =
synonym for=20
the whole region. Interestingly, when it comes to comparative research, =
the=20
genuine West-versus-Balkan comparison, which so often conditions mental=20
prerequisites when thinking of Southeastern Europe, has in fact hardly =
been=20
taken up by scholars.<BR><BR>The workshop aims at contributing to a =
renewed=20
reflection on such long-established mental maps which, over the last =
decade,=20
have indeed been re-designed to approach Western and Eastern Europe, but =
have,=20
at the same time, mostly marginalized the Southeast. By taking up issues =
crucial=20
for Southeast European history and comparing them to structures and =
agencies in=20
the rest of Europe, the conference thus focusses on a rather neglected=20
geographical (and mental) angle.<BR><BR>The workshop hopes to attract =
the=20
interest of scholars working on social movements and/or social change in =
all=20
European spaces - and not necessarily in a comparative manner. In the =
ideal=20
case, proposals will prove apt to be combined into comparable topical =
and=20
methodological clusters, leading to panels fruitfully juxtaposing, say, =
national=20
identity constructions in Germany, Serbia, Italy, and Greece, religious =
contest=20
in Bulgaria, Sweden, Bosnia and Prussia, migratory processes in =
Saloniki,=20
Amsterdam, Istanbul and Marseille ...<BR><BR>Panels will be clustered =
along both=20
(1) methodological and (2) thematic aspects.<BR><BR>(1) All issues =
should be=20
linked by a common methodological and problem-oriented approach, in =
order to=20
provide for an inspiring and fruitful basis for comparison:<BR><BR>- =
Research=20
should be based on an agency-oriented approach. Mentalities, attitudes, =
and=20
perceptions expressed by historical individuals or micro-historical =
groups are=20
conditioned by their interaction with social, economic, political, as =
well as=20
ideological contexts. Studying communicative networks between =
individuals and=20
their surrounding settings leads to exemplary analyses of social =
structures and=20
systems, which will allow interesting and challenging comparative =
discussions=20
conditioned neither by time nor by space and, particularly important, =
going=20
beyond a nationally coined historiography.<BR><BR>- Research should be=20
process-oriented and take into view social movements and social change =
over a=20
period of time that allows to assess continuities and discontinuities. =
This=20
might be long-dur=E9e studies, but also studies that consider a shorter =
period=20
characterized by a historical turning point, for example going beyond =
(at both=20
ends) the years of the First or the Second World War, beyond years =
marked by=20
changes of statal structures, political regimes or borders, or beyond =
important=20
markers of (attempted) social change, i. e. revolutions and similar=20
upheavals.<BR><BR>(2) The panels will be clustered along the following=20
thematical units: <BR><BR>Mental Mapping - Perceptions of the Self =
and of=20
the Other<BR>The forceful - and sometimes rather unconscious - =
hierarchical or=20
teleological mental map with regard to the stereotypical Southeast =
European=20
"backwardness", in particular with regard to "the West", elucidates that =
the=20
region still is perceived on the matrix of a Western European model=20
progressiveness as the "other", as "deviant" and "fallacious". This =
comparison=20
between progress and backwardness has long entered Southeast European=20
discourses, too, fostering a difficult process of identity construction =
between=20
a belated modernization and a self-confident individuality. The aim of =
this=20
panel is to diversify this rather unilateral mental map by counterposing =
varying=20
mental maps and mutual perceptions and stereotypes within Europe, and =
going=20
beyond a simplistic West-versus-East cultural hierarchy.<BR><BR>National =
and=20
religious identities<BR><BR>For Southeast Europe even more than for the =
rest of=20
Europe is valid that geographical and social spaces more often than not =
are not=20
compatible. The idea of the identity of nation and state lies at the =
root of=20
many of the conflictual potentials in the region up to the present. The =
general=20
post-socialist tendency to nationalize history-writing has largely =
prevented=20
trans-national perspectives and has rather fostered historiographical =
interests=20
that force contexts, problems, and processes into a framework too narrow =
to=20
grasp all layers, colors, and "grey zones". Structural and multilateral =
as well=20
as multilocal interconnections and relations went beyond national =
borders, and=20
social spaces more often than not have to be defined trans-nationally to =
be=20
adequately understood. This panel compares the construction and the =
mutual=20
influence and intermingling of national, religious, and =
social<BR>identities in=20
given contexts, and focusses on phenomena of multiple identities, of =
national=20
and religious segregation, assimilation, acculturation, adaptation,=20
hybridization, and resistance.<BR><BR>Social Movements<BR><BR>Having in =
mind the=20
stereotypical and unilateral image of the modern,progressive "West" =
transferring=20
its cultural, political, economic, and social patrimony southeastwards, =
this=20
panel compares European social movements - revolutions, rebellions, =
feminism,=20
pacifism, socialism, fascism etc. -, attempting at diversifying this =
image. What=20
is of interest here are the receptions and modifications of ideas being=20
transferred from one social and cultural context to another, as well as =
the=20
specific characteristics and means of expression of social movements in =
given=20
contexts (democracies, dictatorial regimes etc.). Obviously, social =
movements=20
often are associated with national and/or religious issues; this =
intermingling=20
and the making of sense out of several layers of identity hence is a =
focal point=20
of this panel also.<BR><BR>Social change and demographic=20
mobility<BR><BR>Migratory processes of varying natures largely hold =
responsible=20
for Southeast Europe's ethnic mixture. Yet migration, deportation, =
refuge,=20
expulsion, and genocide are all-European phenomena characteristic for =
the 19th=20
and especially the 20th century. Research having largely focussed on =
Western,=20
Eastern, and Central Europe, this panel aims at contributing to adding=20
comparative perspectives on Southeast European migratory and demographic =
processes. The panel is focussed on the social changes brought about in =
Europe=20
by urbanisation, socalled ,social engineering', racial politics, ethnic =
and=20
social ,cleansing', war etc.<BR><BR>The conference language is=20
English.<BR><BR>Proposals should focus on methodological questions, =
problems,=20
and innovations connected to a research project underway or recently=20
completed.<BR><BR> <BR>Deadline for submission: 30. November,=20
2005.<BR><BR>Please send your proposals to:<BR><BR>Dr. Sabine Rutar,=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen>Ruhr-Universit=E4t Bochum, =
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen>Institut f=FCr soziale =
Bewegungen,=20
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen>Clemensstr. 17-19, 44789=20
Bochum</FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen>e-mail: <A=20
href=3D"mailto:sabine.rutar@rub.de">sabine.rutar@rub.de</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=3Djustify><FONT face=3DSylfaen>[1] Maria Todorova, The Trap =
of=20
Backwardness:<BR>Modernity, Temporality, and the Study of Eastern =
European=20
Nationalism, in: Slavic Review 64, no. 1, spring 2005, pp. 140-164, p. =
145. This=20
article, in fact, presents an ideal common analytical and methodological =
reference point for the aims of this Call for Papers and the =
contributions it=20
hopes to attract.<BR><BR>Dr. Sabine Rutar <BR><BR>Institut f=FCr soziale =
Bewegungen <BR>Ruhr-Universit=E4t Bochum<BR><BR>Clemensstr. =
17-19<BR>44789=20
Bochum<BR><BR>Tel. +49.(0)234.32-22626 (office)<BR>Tel. =
+49.(0)234.2987747=20
(home)<BR>Fax +49.(0)234.32-14249<BR><A=20
href=3D"mailto:sabine.rutar@ruhr-uni-bochum.de">sabine.rutar@ruhr-uni-boc=
hum.de</A><BR><A=20
href=3D"http://www.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/iga/isb/frameset_isb.htm">www.ruhr-=
uni-bochum.de/iga/isb/frameset_isb.htm</A><BR><BR> </FONT></DIV></BO=
DY></HTML>
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