CfP: Why Socialism Matters? Approaches to Research of the Political Idea and the Historical Period

Our tenth annual summer workshop for doctoral students aims to intertwine the themes of previous workshops and possibly raise them to a different level, thereby enabling discussion on the relevance of socialism in historical and contemporary social contexts, as well as in the research practises and epistemology of social sciences and humanities. Beginning with the nineteenth century, socialist thought and actions have profoundly influenced politics, economics, culture and other domains, fighting against inequality, exploitation and poverty, while also reducing old social tensions and sometimes instigating new ones. These processes are evident in the political activities of governments, socialist, social-democratic and communist parties, trade unions, workers’ associations, groups and revolutionary movements; in the economic policies that built the welfare state and socialist state; as well as in the intellectual and cultural realm shaped by socialist thought, and the dissemination of socialist ideas across Europe and globally. Through the decades, insights to these issues have evolved, introducing new approaches and sources. When presenting their topics, applicants are expected to highlight the connection between socialist thought and historical experiences, to explain why socialism matters for the particular topic and why the research of their topic matters, how it shaped the past through possible successes and failures, and how such legacies are shaping the present and possibly the future.

The expected four keynote speakers are historians, philosophers and theoreticians: ANKICA ČAKARDIĆ (University of Zagreb), HANNES GRANDITS (Humboldt University of Berlin), BRANIMIR JANKOVIĆ (University of Zagreb) and KATARINA PEOVIĆ (University of Rijeka).

So far, the Workshop has focused on various topics in contemporary history, the history of socialist Yugoslavia and wider European context: The History of Everyday Life in Socialist Yugoslavia (2015); Yugoslav Socialism: Similarities and Exceptionalities (2016); A New Man for the Socialist Society (2017); Yugoslavia and the Global 1968: Contexts, Perspectives, Echoes (2018); Industrial Societies of Late Socialism: European Comparisons (2019); Cooperation, Exchange and Solidarity in Europe 1945-1990 (2020); Microhistories of Socialism (2021); Microhistories of Socialism and Postsocialism (2022); What Was Europe? Perception, Division and Integration, 1940s-2010s (2023). The themes were often connected to the research projects at CKPIS or with the cooperation network around the Chair for South-East European History at the Humboldt University of Berlin. Over the past years, the Workshop has received an excellent response, with PhD students and lecturers coming from various universities and other institutions (Belgrade, Berlin, Bielefeld, Birmingham, Bochum, Bologna, Budapest, Cologne, Cork, Durham, Florence, Ghent, Giessen, Glasgow, Graz, Hamburg, Iaşi, Konstanz, Koper, Lisbon, Ljubljana, Montreal, Munich, North Carolina – Chapel Hill, Nottingham, Oxford, Paris, Potsdam, Prague, Princeton, Regensburg, San Diego, Sarajevo, Skopje, Sofia, Split, Tübingen, Turku, Vienna, Warsaw, Warwick, Zagreb and Pula). Information on past workshops is available on our website.

We hope the workshop will again attract PhD students in the field of history, as well as in other fields of humanities and social sciences. Our objective is to enable the exchange of knowledge and ideas, as well as participation in motivating discussions. We would like to enhance networking and exchange among young researchers and map new research trends, especially at the level of PhD studies.

Please, submit the online application form by May 15, 2024. The form includes the abstract (max. 200 words) and a short biographical note (max. 200 words). Acceptance notification will follow by the end of May. By July 10 the elected applicants are expected to send a short paper (max. 1,800 words), based on their dissertation or another research. The workshop language is English. Based on the paper, each presentation should last up to 15 minutes and will be followed by an immediate discussion. A certificate will be issued to PhD students confirming their participation and the value of 2 ECTS credits.

Participants are expected to arrive by late afternoon of Wednesday, August 28, when the workshop starts. The programme ends by noon on Saturday. The workshop venue is the Student Dorm (Preradović Street).

The participation fee is 125€. Payment information will follow after the selection process. As organisers, we will be able to cover accommodation (three nights, single rooms) at the new student dorm in the city centre, a meal per day and coffee breaks. The participants should organise their travel to Pula and cover its cost, hopefully with the support of their universities or other sources.

The online application form and all information are available on the website:
https://www.unipu.hr/ckpis/en/doctoral_workshop/2024.

For any questions, please contact Tina at tinafilipovic.pu@gmail.com.

We are looking forward to your applications!

ORGANIZING COMMITTEE
Prof. Igor Duda, PhD, University of Pula
Anita Buhin, PhD, Nova University Lisbon
Tina Filipović, EUI Florence / University of Zagreb
Sara Žerić, IOS Regensburg