Call for papers: Between Contestation and Proclamation: Cultural Heritage in Border Struggles and (Cross-)Border Alliances.
On 17-18 October 2024, Saarland University (UniGR-Center for Border Studies), in partnership with the University of Katowice (Silesian Center for the Study of Regional and Transborder Memory) and the University of Trieste (CRMCS – Centro di Ricerca sulle Migrazioni e la Cooperazione allo Sviluppo) will host the T4EU Regional Heritage Workshop on issues of cultural heritage in contexts of border struggles and (cross-) border alliances.
By questioning the assumption of the prerequisite of common heritage in border contestations, contributions may highlight how cultural heritage both incites and results from border conflicts and cooperative efforts.
Heritage often becomes a contested terrain, where claims to historical and cultural continuity fuel geopolitical disputes and migration-related struggles. Simultaneously, shared (or proclaimed) heritage can be a powerful catalyst for cross-border alliances, fostering collaboration and peace-building initiatives. This dual role of heritage underscores its complexity: it serves as both a divisive force in border conflicts and a unifying element in transnational cooperation.
We welcome submissions for panels (up to three papers) and individual papers (20 minutes maximum), as well as workshop and roundtable proposals. Please submit your abstract (300 words maximum) and a brief bio-bibliographical note to borderstudies@uni-saarland.de by 4 August 2024.
Contact: Eva Nossem, e.nossem@mx.uni-saarland.de