Nationalismus. Europe in its labyrinth - germanistik

 APEG -­‐ Internationaler Kongress 2016 April 21-­‐22, 2016 Catholic University of Portugal, Lisbon Nationalismus. Europe in its labyrinth
Since the mid 20th century Europe has been progressively moving towards the free inner circulation of
goods, people and ideas. To make this possible, Europe has pledged to reduce the significance of its
internal borders claiming instead a shared space both in geography and imagery. The European project
pursues this idea of a common vision of life, values, interests and goals, of a common ground above
national specificities, yet mindful of its own diversity. In periods of economic crisis, acute political
tensions and structural changes, though, Europe becomes a contested project: nations turn away from
what they (imagine they) share and focus on their own (imagined) specificities, enabling nationalism to
thrive. In recent years Europe has seen this movement recurrently: beyond a façade of monetary fluidity
and personal mobility, nationalisms have risen in the political arena and have challenged not only the
functioning of the European institutions but the legitimacy of the project itself. Recent nationalist
uprisings, fostered first by the economic crisis and then by the surge of refugees washed onto its shores,
have contested Europe and weakened it in the search of its own identity, of what holds it together, not
despite but rather on the condition of its own differences. Europe is left to wander in a maze of
nationalism, seeking a way out of this condition. In this sense, nationalism may be best thought of as a
labyrinth that both seduces and imprisons, inviting to meanderings and compelling to escape.
These crisis-driven nationalisms are not new and may be traced back to the 19th century and the
foundation of nations, and to periods even before this. The foundation of the Germanistik is itself
embedded in a German national spirit. The first congress, held in 1846 in Frankfurt, brought together
Germanists, i.e. historians, jurists and philologists, and laid the foundations of the discipline in history,
law and language. More recent discussions in the field of German studies have revolved around the socalled loss of national identity of the traditional field of Germanistik in favor of neighboring umbrella
areas, such as comparative literature or culture studies.
The Portuguese Association for German Studies invites to the participation in the conference
Nationalismus. Europe in its Labyrinth whose aim is to consider the concept of Nationalismus in the
European context, both in view of the current rise of nationalism in public life and political discourse,
and in its historical origins in relation to the founding of nations. In particular the conference seeks to
address the role of language, literature and film as seismographs for social shifts and political change
and to discuss the influence of nationalism in relevant areas of study – literary, linguistic and cultural
studies – and, in turn, the contribution of these areas of study to the construction of nationalisms
themselves: How did (German) nationalism shape national (German) philologies? And how did
(German) national philologies contribute to the affirmation and development of (German) nationalism?
Furthermore, the conference seeks to reflect on the meaning of nationalism for the founding of scientific
fields.
APEG -­‐ Internationaler Kongress 2016 April 21-­‐22, 2016 Catholic University of Portugal, Lisbon Contributions from diverse disciplinary fields are welcome for a joint discussion, among others, of the
following topics:
-
‘Nation’ as a European concept: history, development, varieties
Nationalism and Myth
Nationalismus in the German-speaking space
Deutsch and the linguistic origins of the German nation
Language as the basis of nation
Translating the nation
Nationalism and other constructions of collective identity
Cultural identity in Europe
Educating the Nation
Nation vs. Region
Marxism and nationalism: from the Internationale to globalization and back to the nation
Language, History, Law: Reframing the nation in the 21st Century?
Colonial Germany: exporting Nationalism
National humanities
Constructing and deconstructing Nationalism
Keynote speakers
- Ulrich Ammon (Universität Duisburg-Essen)
- Irene Pimentel (Universidade Nova de Lisboa)
- Peter Hanenberg (Universidade Católica Portuguesa)
Conference languages:
English and German
Format:
Speakers should prepare for a 20-minute presentation followed by questions. A 250-word abstract, as
well as a brief biographical note (100 words) should be sent to [email protected] by 15
January 2016.
Proposals should list the paper title, name, institutional affiliation, and contact details. Abstracts will
undergo double blind peer review. Notification of abstract acceptance or rejection is due by 31 January
2016.
Conference fees:
Early bird (by February 29th):
Regular Participants – 50€
Students (ID required) and APEG members — 30€
Late registration (March 1st to 31st):
Regular Participants – 80€
Students (ID required) and APEG members – 60€
Registration fee includes coffee breaks and lunch on the two days of the conference and conference
documentation.
APEG -­‐ Internationaler Kongress 2016 April 21-­‐22, 2016 Catholic University of Portugal, Lisbon Conference fee payment
By bank transfer:
Bank – Caixa Geral de Depósitos
NIB: 0035 0671 0001 4136 230 53
IBAN: PT 50 0035 0671 00014136230 53
BIC SWIFT: CGDIPTPL
Please send the notification (in case of
online-banking) or a copy of the bank
transfer document to
[email protected]
By cheque made out to:
APEG Associação Portuguesa de Estudos Germanísticos
and sent to:
APEG Associação Portuguesa de Estudos Germanísticos
a/c Ana Margarida Abrantes
Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Faculdade de Ciências Humanas
Palma de Cima
1649-023 Lisboa Portugal
Scientific Committee:
Ana Margarida Abrantes (Univ. Católica Portuguesa)
Ana Maria Bernardo (Univ. Nova Lisboa)
Anne Martina Emonts (Univ. Madeira)
António Sousa Ribeiro (Univ. Coimbra)
Fernando Clara (Univ. Nova Lisboa)
Gerald Bär (Univ. Aberta)
Gerd Hammer (Univ. Lisboa)
Gonçalo Vilas Boas (Univ. Porto)
Idalete Dias (Univ. Minho)
Júlia Garraio (Univ. Coimbra)
Maria João Cordeiro (Inst. Polit. Beja)
Peter Hanenberg (Univ. Católica Portuguesa)
Teresa Cortez (Univ. Aveiro)
Teresa Seruya (Univ. Lisboa)
Organizing Committee:
Ana Margarida Abrantes
Gerald Bär
Fernando Clara
Maria João Cordeiro
Idalete Dias
Júlia Garraio
Gerd Hammer
Important dates (overview)
Submission of abstracts: 15.01.2016
Notification of acceptance: 31.01.2016
Registration:
Early bird: 01.02.2016 – 15.03.2016
Late registration: 01.03.201
Conference: 21.-22.04.2016