About

DAAD-sponsored Postgraduate Conference, 4-7 May, 2016

“German Pasts – German Futures”

This conference brings together postgraduate scholars from across the UK and Germany to present recent, cutting-edge work on contemporary German-(language) history, culture and society. The scope of the conference is deliberately broad, to encourage dialogue between postgraduates working across different disciplines, and a variety of themes relating to the German-speaking countries. In general terms,however, we are interested in the most recent debates on how the German past is being remembered and memorialised, and – as important – on what kind of future is emerging for the German-speaking countries. We are especially interested in the cultural, political and social consequences and emerging understandings of rapid demographic transformation, German leadership in Europe, the rapidly changing relationship between German-speaking countries and ‘the world’, the impact of recent crises (the EURO and refugee crisis), and in new andemerging national, regional, and local identities.

Dr Hans Kundnani, Senior Transatlantic Fellow at the German Marshall Fund of the United States, will present a plenary talk at the conference (title to be confirmed).

Participants will present papers of thirty minutes in either English or German. The conference will begin on the afternoon of 4 May, and conclude on the morning of 7 May. There will be sessions on ‘how to get published’ and ‘how to apply for academic posts’.

All accommodation and meals in Leeds will be covered (free-of-charge). Participants from Germany will also have their flights paid.

We are pleased to welcome as our plenary speaker: Hans Kundnani, German Marshall Fund in Berlin.