The forum, organised by the Historische Kommission zu Berlin with its young research network HiKo_21, will take place again on 29/30 September 2025 in Berlin. It aims to provide an overview of current research projects and to facilitate an inter-epochal exchange about Prussian history. Under the key topic ‚Space and Resources’ the second Nachwuchsforum will bring together different concepts of research groups and different disciplines.
The first subject is dedicated under the topic ‚Space’ and asked for papers concerning sections of physical, social, and mental spaces. The wide field of investigation offers the opportunity of a great variety of topics. The forum will always welcome as well all papers concerning sections of everyday life and appropriation of space, also papers of individually and biographical scope and Prussian lieux de mémoire.
Under the second key topic ‚Resources’ the forum gives opportunity for papers focused on sections of social and economic areas of life and work, such as for example trade, industry and commerce. In this sense, also other types of papers, for example and by having regard to the forms of capital by Pierre Bourdieu, and to pay attention to correlation, mechanism and debates in family memories and its networks, as well as genealogy research and relations of patronage.
The forum invites young professionals of Prussian history of all nationalities at all stages of their careers. The aim should be a reuniting of a diversity of papers and different kinds of sessions bringing together various research projects. The forum will concentrate and tie all contributions looking for multidisciplinary contexts to throw light on actual questions. Participants from different epochs and sub-disciplines will be given the opportunity to present their projects and take advantage of the networking opportunities offered by the forum. The language of the forum is German, although contributions may be submitted and presented in English. Costs for the effort will be borne by the Historische Kommission. If we succeed in attracting third-party funding, it is our intention to cover expenses for travel and accommodation at best complete.
The forum warmly invites all applicants to enclose the paper a short information about:
1. An abstract of maximum 500 word which relates to the research question, findings, theoretical approach, method, and sources;
2. a short CV (PhD supervisor, brief summary of publications and awards);
3. Information about the status of the research project and institutional affiliation;
4. Information about the type of paper (please indicate clearly which type you want to submit: single chapter, general plan, extract).
We kindly ask you to provide your application as one single document in Word (or any comparable format).
Please send your application by 15 March 2025 to info@hiko-berlin.de.
Selection decisions will be communicated by 15 April 2025. In the case of acceptance to the forum, a paper in German or English of approx. 1,500-3,000 words must be submitted by 30 June 2025.
Presentations should not exceed fifteen minutes, following a forty minutes length discussion. A post-forum publication of the papers is not planned. It will be made accessible to the other participants prior to the conference.