Summer school of the research network « Horizontal Europeanization » at the Willy Brandt Center for German and European Studies, University of Wroc?aw, Poland, 21 – 24 June 2017
What is the summer school about?
The identification with Europe and a cosmopolitan identity have been hotly debated for decades. However, only now, with the rise of populist and nationalist movements all over Europe, the importance of the citizens’ support for the European integration process for the future of the European Union has become widely visible. At least since the Eurozone crisis and the related austerity policies, the time of an unquestioned “permissive consensus” of the European population is over because the political, economic and monetary integration has contributed to increasing inequalities in income, employment and social conditions as demonstrated by the obscenely high levels of youth unemployment in some Southern European countries. This has contributed to a politicization of European social integration, in particular the politicization of (1) the identification of European population with the EU, (2) the transnational solidarity among European member states, and (3) the transnational perception of social inequalities.
The aim of the summer school is to analyze and discuss how the current developments have influenced and changed the different facets of European social integration in its three dimensions. Some questions that could be addressed are: How did European, national and regional identifications develop during the crisis? Did growing social inequality in Europe contribute to the erosion of trust in the EU and the re-nationalization of collective identifications? Or did the Europe-wide coverage of the growing social problems in some countries strengthen the solidarity among European populations? A wide range of topics around the issues of identification in Europe, solidarity in Europe, and perception of social inequality in Europe are possible. During the summer school, we want to discuss these issues with a group of young scholars and more experienced researchers from various countries.
Why visit this summer school
The summer school is an extraordinary opportunity to promote your academic work. It offers the opportunity to discuss your own work with other PhD students or fresh PhDs and with experienced researchers in the field from all over Europe. You can present your assumptions and research design in front of a diverse audience and profit from remarks beyond the usual perspectives of your home institution. Additionally, senior researchers will present own published work. You have the seldom opportunity to discuss publications with the authors themselves. They not only defend their work in a Q&A but also tell the story behind the publication, how they came up with the idea and which steps the piece had to pass until publication. This allows not only a deeper understanding of the publications themselves but also gives first hand insights in the work of academic publication. Currently confirmed are Soetkin Verhaegen (University of Stockholm) and Nora Siklodi (University of Portsmouth). The event takes place in Wroc?aw, the 2016 capital of culture in Europe. You will experience a vibrant city but also learn about its present and past, with fundamental nationality and identity changes which mirror European history in a nutshell.
The summer school is organized and funded by the German Research Foundation and the Austrian Science Fund research network “Horizontal Europeanization” and the Willy Brandt Center for German and European Studies in cooperation with the ECPR Standing group “Identity” and the Section “Sociology of Europe (Europasoziologie)” of the German Sociological Association (DGS). Organizers are Pawel Karolewski, Jenny Preunkert and Jochen Roose.
Key information
- Start 21 June 2017, 17:00 h, end 24 June 2017, 14:00 h
- Presentations by young scholars of their own work
- Presentations by experienced researchers of their own work
- Guided city tour through Wroc?aw
- Ample discussions and networking
- No fees
- 15 young researchers as participants
- Seven full financed grants available (awarded depending on the quality of application and ?the funding needed)
- Estimated accommodation cost (for participants without grant): 300,-EUR plus travel
Application
For an application please send:
- description of your project (max. 800 words)
- letter of motivation (max. 500 words)
- indication of the funding needed
Deadline for applications: 30 April 2017 ?(information on acceptance: 10 May 2017)
For more information, please visit: http://horizontal-europeanization.eu/en/