Research context for the Summer School
During the past few years, the Leipzig PhD Summer School has established itself as an important meeting place for the discussion of transnationalization, transculturalism and emerging trends in the research of globalization. The Summer School is organized by the Graduate School Global and Area Studies of Graduate Centre Humanities and Social Sciences at the Research Academy Leipzig.
Approximately 130 PhD students in the social sciences as well as in the fields of history and cultural studies obtain structured doctoral training. The annual Summer School is an integral component of this arrangement. The Summer School occupies a special place within the educational concept of the Graduate School by providing PhD students with a forum to present the results of their respective research with their peer group. These peer groups consist of students from other universities and other countries. Thus, the invitation is open to all PhD students whose research is related to the focus of this year’s Summer School.
Thematic focus of the Summer School
The world order in Cold War times was bipolar only on the first glance. In the slipstream of the superpowers’ political, economic and military confrontation the socialist countries of East Central Europe as well as the Soviet Union and China established specific relations with countries just emancipating from their colonial past. Although multiple connections between the socialist camp and decolonizing areas have developed over decades their place in current research on globalization in the last third of the 20th century remains still marginal. The aim is to reconstruct and to evaluate the manifold East-South entanglements of the “second” and the “third” world. Invited are contributions focused on the one hand on the economic cooperation of COMECON and China with the developing countries (forms of the socialist Entwicklungshilfe) and the knowledge production about the developing countries (institutionalization of Area Studies under the very specific conditions of state-socialist dirigisme towards academic research and the dominance of the Marxist-Leninist/ Maoist ideological framework of explanation for societal development) on the other.
The XII. Summer School of the Graduate School offers the opportunity to each participant to contribute to this debate with their own research and findings.
The following workshops are currently in preparation:
1. Second and Third World
2. Latin America and Soviet Union
3. COMECON/RGW in the world

Sequence of events of the Summer School
The Summer School combines scholarly talks and presentations with workshops/panels, in which participating PhD students will have the opportunity to present and discuss their ongoing research. The organisation of the Summer School adheres to two perspectives:
1. Scholarly talks by internationally recognized researchers, whose work influences the field of transnationalization (or a significant component thereof)
2. Workshops/Panels that will serve as a forum for German and international students to present and discuss their own ongoing research.
The assignment of individual sections and days will be undertaken by the organisers of the Summer School. Preferences of the participants will, of course, be taken into consideration. In addition, active participation in the discussions of the Summer School is expected. Talks and project presentations can be conducted in English or German. The discussions are generally held in German and/or English.
Application
All interested PhD students are cordially invited to submit a paper for application to the Summer School. The application should include:
- Personal details, as well as academic status, including the relevant academic affiliation.
- An abstract of 300 to 500 words, together with an explanation of its connection to the ongoing dissertation.
via Post and via E-Mail to:
Leipzig University, Graduate Centre Humanities and Social Sciences Dr. Martina Keilbach
Emil-Fuchs-Str. 1
04105 Leipzig
E-Mail: phd@uni-leipzig.de
Registration and application deadline: 15 July 2014
The final acceptance of the submitted papers will be decided by a preparatory committee no later than 31 July 2014. A maximum of 25 papers will be selected. In order to prepare for academic commentary, submission of the actual paper (10-pages) is expected by 1 September. The paper will be pre-circulated and should fit within a 15-20 minute presentation.
Participation fee
The participation fee is 50 Euro. Included in this fee are the conference materials (including the reader), refreshments during the breaks as well as participation in the welcoming reception and the cultural events that will be held during the Summer School.
Upon request, reasonably priced accommodations in Leipzig will be arranged by the conference office.
With successful participation in the Summer School, it will be possible to receive a certificate from the Graduate Centre Humanities and Social Sciences. Further information can be found under: www.uni-leipzig.de/ral/gchuman
Childcare
For all events childcare will be provided for children. Registration is requested (until 1 September 2014): Martina Keilbach (keilbach@uni-leipzig.de).