Regional Group meetings
Last meeting: 1 June 2021 ( Business meeting MSA)
(minutes of the meeting available on request)
(minutes of the meeting available on request)
Events in the loop
MSA Warsaw 2021:
RG SEE Roundtable: New memory publications on South-East Europe
RG SEE Roundtable: New memory publications on South-East Europe
Host: MSA RG South-East Europe
Speakers: Nikolina Zidek (moderator), Ana Milosevic, Tamara Trost, Ana Ljubojevic, Astrea Pejovic, Vjeran Pavlakovic, Naum Trajanovski, Gruia Badescu
Date: July 1, Thursday
Memory studies in South East Europe is an ever-growing research field. Most recently, several publications went beyond the "traditional" theoretical and methodological positions and thus widened the research scope of the memory studies on the region. This event will bring some of the editors and the researchers involved in these projects together to discuss the major findings, challenges, and impacts of the global pandemic on memory politics in Southeastern Europe and beyond:
- Framing the Nation and Collective Identities: Political Rituals and Cultural Memory of the Twentieth-Century Traumas in Croatia (2019), edited by Vjeran Pavlaković and Davor Pauković, analyzes top-down and bottom-up strategies of framing the nation through commemorative practices relating to events from the Second World War and the Croatian War of Independence.
- Europeanisation and Memory Politics in the Former Yugoslavia (2020), edited by Ana Milošević and Tamara Pavasović Trošt, explores the various manners in which the European integration process has influenced the collective memory in the former-Yugoslav countries.
- Cultures and Politics of Remembrance in Southeastern Europe: Nationalism, Transnationalism and Cooperation, builds upon the transnational turn in the memory studies and provides a number of chapters that apply this concept in the regional context (oftentimes vis-à-vis what was identified as a nationalistic turn in the regional memory politics).
- Memory Politics and Populism in Southeastern Europe (2021) explores the politics of memory in the region in the context of rising populism and their hegemonic grip on official memory and politics.
- Changing Memoryscapes in Southeastern Europe (2021), which is to be published by Contemporary Southeastern Europe, aims at combining wide-range theoretical and methodological approaches within memory studies and thus bringing new perspectives of the grassroot memories in the city, bridging the gap in both analysis of bottom-up initiatives in the region, and using notions of space and place as analytical research tools.
- Synchronous Pasts: Transforming heritage in the former Yugoslavia (2021) co-edited by Gruia Badescu, Britt Baillie and Francesco Mazzucchelli. This collection scrutinizes the role of heritage in 'conflict-time', inquires what role the past might have in creating new identities at the local, regional, national, and supra-national levels, and investigates the dynamics of heritage as a process.
Speakers: Nikolina Zidek (moderator), Ana Milosevic, Tamara Trost, Ana Ljubojevic, Astrea Pejovic, Vjeran Pavlakovic, Naum Trajanovski, Gruia Badescu
Date: July 1, Thursday
Memory studies in South East Europe is an ever-growing research field. Most recently, several publications went beyond the "traditional" theoretical and methodological positions and thus widened the research scope of the memory studies on the region. This event will bring some of the editors and the researchers involved in these projects together to discuss the major findings, challenges, and impacts of the global pandemic on memory politics in Southeastern Europe and beyond:
- Framing the Nation and Collective Identities: Political Rituals and Cultural Memory of the Twentieth-Century Traumas in Croatia (2019), edited by Vjeran Pavlaković and Davor Pauković, analyzes top-down and bottom-up strategies of framing the nation through commemorative practices relating to events from the Second World War and the Croatian War of Independence.
- Europeanisation and Memory Politics in the Former Yugoslavia (2020), edited by Ana Milošević and Tamara Pavasović Trošt, explores the various manners in which the European integration process has influenced the collective memory in the former-Yugoslav countries.
- Cultures and Politics of Remembrance in Southeastern Europe: Nationalism, Transnationalism and Cooperation, builds upon the transnational turn in the memory studies and provides a number of chapters that apply this concept in the regional context (oftentimes vis-à-vis what was identified as a nationalistic turn in the regional memory politics).
- Memory Politics and Populism in Southeastern Europe (2021) explores the politics of memory in the region in the context of rising populism and their hegemonic grip on official memory and politics.
- Changing Memoryscapes in Southeastern Europe (2021), which is to be published by Contemporary Southeastern Europe, aims at combining wide-range theoretical and methodological approaches within memory studies and thus bringing new perspectives of the grassroot memories in the city, bridging the gap in both analysis of bottom-up initiatives in the region, and using notions of space and place as analytical research tools.
- Synchronous Pasts: Transforming heritage in the former Yugoslavia (2021) co-edited by Gruia Badescu, Britt Baillie and Francesco Mazzucchelli. This collection scrutinizes the role of heritage in 'conflict-time', inquires what role the past might have in creating new identities at the local, regional, national, and supra-national levels, and investigates the dynamics of heritage as a process.
Aspects and Typologies of Transitions from The Habsburg Empire to Nation-States - An online panel as part of Rijeka2020: Memoryscapes
16 December 2020, 17h
As part of the Memoryscapes series of online lectures, we are excited to present a panel of scholars from the Nepotrans Project. The project’s goal is to provide a new, overall narrative of how the Habsburg Empire was replaced by nation states at the end of WWI and reconsider in the light of its results categories and concepts like state and statehood, local, regional and national, transition and transformation. The team addresses four main themes: state, elites, identities and discourses. The issues raised by the After the Great War exhibition held in Rijeka in October 2020 are further developed in the presentations by scholars working on various aspects of post-Habsburg Eastern and Central Europe, providing both a comparative regional perspective as well as a case study of Rijeka during this crucial transitional period of both collapse and state-building. The lectures will be in English.
Gábor Egry (Institute of Political History - Budapest), ERC Nepostrans project presentation
Elisabeth Haid (Institute of Political History - Budapest), From Eastern Galicia to Eastern Lesser Poland. Administrative changes and continuities.
Ivan Jeličić (Institute of Political History - Budapest), The Nation-State as an Obvious Option? Fiume/Rijeka's political alternatives.
Anikó Borbála Izsák (Institute of Political History - Budapest / ELTE University Budapest), Who holds the power? National Councils and local military forces in Satu Mare County.
Jernej Kosi (Institute of Political History - Budapest / University of Ljubljana), Prekmurje: The 1918/1919 Revolution in the Hungarian/Yugoslav Rural Periphery.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpdu2rpz8jE9DZovOdVAWZ7m79eheJEKel
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Organized as part of EPK2020, Nepotrans project, YUFE network
16 December 2020, 17h
As part of the Memoryscapes series of online lectures, we are excited to present a panel of scholars from the Nepotrans Project. The project’s goal is to provide a new, overall narrative of how the Habsburg Empire was replaced by nation states at the end of WWI and reconsider in the light of its results categories and concepts like state and statehood, local, regional and national, transition and transformation. The team addresses four main themes: state, elites, identities and discourses. The issues raised by the After the Great War exhibition held in Rijeka in October 2020 are further developed in the presentations by scholars working on various aspects of post-Habsburg Eastern and Central Europe, providing both a comparative regional perspective as well as a case study of Rijeka during this crucial transitional period of both collapse and state-building. The lectures will be in English.
Gábor Egry (Institute of Political History - Budapest), ERC Nepostrans project presentation
Elisabeth Haid (Institute of Political History - Budapest), From Eastern Galicia to Eastern Lesser Poland. Administrative changes and continuities.
Ivan Jeličić (Institute of Political History - Budapest), The Nation-State as an Obvious Option? Fiume/Rijeka's political alternatives.
Anikó Borbála Izsák (Institute of Political History - Budapest / ELTE University Budapest), Who holds the power? National Councils and local military forces in Satu Mare County.
Jernej Kosi (Institute of Political History - Budapest / University of Ljubljana), Prekmurje: The 1918/1919 Revolution in the Hungarian/Yugoslav Rural Periphery.
Register in advance for this meeting:
https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZMpdu2rpz8jE9DZovOdVAWZ7m79eheJEKel
After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.
Organized as part of EPK2020, Nepotrans project, YUFE network
The International Press Association (API-IPA), together with the Residence Palace, invites Brussels-based correspondents to:
’The Croatia-Slovenia border dispute' The stages of a protracted conflict and its implications for EU enlargement
In this API Hour author Thomas Bickl, EPP's policy advisor in the European Parliament, presents his new book about the border conflict between the two EU member states. He reveals the processes at work, the historical and contemporary circumstances and the strategies of the actors involved. The book highlights the roles of the EU and other parties in the conflict, and offers policy recommendations on how to strengthen conflict resolution in the EU accession process. Thomas Bickl will be interviewed by Dr. Ana MILOSEVIC, KU Leuven, followed by Q&A.
WHEN: Friday 20 November 2020, 10:30-11:30h
WITH: Dr. Thomas BICKL, policy adviser EPP
Moderator: Michael STABENOW, API
The API Hour will be held online, using ZOOM. EU accredited correspondents only who want to 'attend', need to register at info@api-ipa.org ultimately before noon Thursday 19 November. Registered journalists will later that day receive the link that will give them online access to the API Hour with the possibility to ask questions.
* * * * *
International Press Centre 'Résidence Palace' – Bloc C, Office/bureau 2.223 (2nd floor/2ème étage)Rue de la Loi 155, 1040 Bruxelles/Brussels – Tel: +32 2 235 22 24
’The Croatia-Slovenia border dispute' The stages of a protracted conflict and its implications for EU enlargement
In this API Hour author Thomas Bickl, EPP's policy advisor in the European Parliament, presents his new book about the border conflict between the two EU member states. He reveals the processes at work, the historical and contemporary circumstances and the strategies of the actors involved. The book highlights the roles of the EU and other parties in the conflict, and offers policy recommendations on how to strengthen conflict resolution in the EU accession process. Thomas Bickl will be interviewed by Dr. Ana MILOSEVIC, KU Leuven, followed by Q&A.
WHEN: Friday 20 November 2020, 10:30-11:30h
WITH: Dr. Thomas BICKL, policy adviser EPP
Moderator: Michael STABENOW, API
The API Hour will be held online, using ZOOM. EU accredited correspondents only who want to 'attend', need to register at info@api-ipa.org ultimately before noon Thursday 19 November. Registered journalists will later that day receive the link that will give them online access to the API Hour with the possibility to ask questions.
* * * * *
International Press Centre 'Résidence Palace' – Bloc C, Office/bureau 2.223 (2nd floor/2ème étage)Rue de la Loi 155, 1040 Bruxelles/Brussels – Tel: +32 2 235 22 24
Announcing dMSA!
Dear friends and colleagues,
We are delighted to announce a new initiative: Digital MSA (dMSA)!
To kick off this format, we have assembled a roundtable on “Monuments and Memory Politics", featuring a broad range of perspectives and case studies: Ann Rigney (Utrecht University) introduces us to why monuments matter in the context of (trans)cultural memory, Vjeran Pavlaković (University of Rijeka) discusses the (im)possibilities of pluralistic remembrance in the context of the war in Yugoslavia, Wandile Kasibe (Iziko Museums of South Africa) takes a critical perspective on monuments and museums as signifiers of crimes against humanity, and Jalane Schmidt (University of Virginia) will join us with her expertise on Charlottesville as a case of contested memories.
Please mark your calendars for the following events in this exciting series.
- November 18, 6pm CET: Inaugural Event Roundtable "Monuments and Memory Politics”
Please register here. - December 8, 5pm CET: "Memory Dynamics in Times of Crisis: A Virtual Conversation with Sarah Gensburger", hosted by Stef Craps and the Cultural Memory Studies Initiative
Please register here. - January 2021: Francisco Ferrandiz and Jocelyn Martin on necropolitics, more information soon!
If you would like to suggest a dMSA event, please contact us via info@memorystudiesassociation.org and send us a short outline of you ideas. Check out our webpage for more information on dMSA.
October 2020
After the Great War: The Exhibition behind the scenes
October 29, 2010 - 3 pm - on-line debate
The discussion is going to focus on the exhibition After the Great War. A New Europe 1918–1923 and some challenges related to the multi-stage process of creating international historical exhibitions in general. The debate participants are:
Prof. Jay Winter – Charles J. Stille Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University
Prof. Ewelina Szpak – Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences
Andrzej Jaworski – co-owner of the JAZ+Architekci studio, architect
Dr Bartosz Dziewanowski-Stefańczyk – European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (moderator)
Prof. Vjeran Pavlaković – University of Rijeka (moderator)
Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eyLIXij6TdqVwx4p8mmJUg
October 29, 2010 - 3 pm - on-line debate
The discussion is going to focus on the exhibition After the Great War. A New Europe 1918–1923 and some challenges related to the multi-stage process of creating international historical exhibitions in general. The debate participants are:
Prof. Jay Winter – Charles J. Stille Professor of History Emeritus, Yale University
Prof. Ewelina Szpak – Institute of History, Polish Academy of Sciences
Andrzej Jaworski – co-owner of the JAZ+Architekci studio, architect
Dr Bartosz Dziewanowski-Stefańczyk – European Network Remembrance and Solidarity (moderator)
Prof. Vjeran Pavlaković – University of Rijeka (moderator)
Registration: https://zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_eyLIXij6TdqVwx4p8mmJUg
September 2020
BISA conference: ‘Memory and South East Europe: Global currents of activism and contestation’
24 September 2020, 3.00 – 4.30pm (UK Time)
Registration: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/members/working-groups/seewg/events/memory-and-south-east-europe-global-currents-activism-and
24 September 2020, 3.00 – 4.30pm (UK Time)
Registration: https://www.bisa.ac.uk/members/working-groups/seewg/events/memory-and-south-east-europe-global-currents-activism-and
CfP :MSA Regional Group on Memory in South East Europe (MSA Warsaw Conference 2021)
South East Europe occupies a special place in Memory Studies. Yet, there have been scarce attempts at bringing together researchers to analyze various set of mnemonic occurrences of the countries in the region. In brief, the present-day memory studies debate on the region can be divided across diachronic lines, as, for instance, the memory of the First World War (for an overview, see Luthar 2016), the Second World War (Petrović 2014), the communist period (Mark 2010; Brunnbauer 2012; Tileagă 2012; Todorova et al. 2014) and the post-communist transformations and democratic consolidations (Jović 2004; Troebst 2011). The Yugoslav wars of the 1990s are also a significant focal point in the recent debate. Several other topoi of the most recent memory studies debates in the region include the usages of political ideologies (for an overview, Bešlin and Atanacković 2012), political identities (Todorova 2004; Ramet 2013), historiography and history-production (Luthar 2017), transitional justice (Hačikjan et al. 2005), nostalgia (Todorova 2009; Todorova & Gille 2010), transnationalism (Samardžić 2013; Kirn 2017; Ramet & Hassenstab 2017) and recently Europeanization of memory (Milosevic & Trost 2020).
For the conference of the Memory Studies Association in Warsaw in 2021, the Regional Group on South East Europe seeks to launch a debate on the state of the art of Memory studies in - and on, the region. In line with the MSA CfP, we invite paper proposals that will address the growing confluences of the global and the regional to offer theoretical or methodological reflections addressing different layers of mnemonic entanglement in the region.
We therefore invite paper proposals with a strong focus on South East Europe. Paper abstracts should have a length of no more than 200 words and can be written in English. A biography of no more than 80 words should also be included.
Please submit your proposal by October 10 to ana.milosevic@kuleuven.be, vjeranp@gmail.com and trajanovskinaum@gmail.com. We will then shape the panel accordingly.
The Regional Group Memory on South East Europe seeks to create long-term collaborations between scholars from different disciplines and geographical locations who are interested in planning projects and publications together. The conference in Warsaw will (hopefully) be the first occasion for a face to face meeting of the members of the Regional Group. Keep in mind that to become a member of the Regional Group, as well as for presenting in Warsaw, you need to be a member of the Memory Studies Association. For a paper proposal, this is not required.
