Crossing the Iron Curtain: Tourism and Travelling in the Cold War

Crossing the Iron Curtain: Tourism and Travelling in the Cold War

Veranstalter
University of Amsterdam, European Travel Cultures Research Group
Veranstaltungsort
Ort
Amsterdam
Land
Netherlands
Vom - Bis
07.04.2017 - 08.04.2017
Deadline
15.12.2016
Website
Von
Sune Bechmann Pedersen

The image of the Iron Curtain as an impenetrable obstacle to mobility between East and West during the Cold War has long been criticized. However, studies of encounters between East and West and their importance in the cultural Cold War has tended to concentrate on professionals such as the artists and scientists exchanged through cultural agreements. Yet millions of westerners went on holiday behind the Iron Curtain and a considerable number of easterners did the same in the west.

This workshop focuses on the mobility between the two camps motivated by the search for pleasure and recreation. It welcomes contributions that deal with touristic encounters between East and West of individuals and groups, on either side of the Iron Curtain. Contributions querying political tourists and the politics of inter-bloc tourism on local, regional, national, or international level are also invited.

The workshop is held on 7-8 April 2017 at the University of Amsterdam and is organized by the European Travel Cultures research group. A keynote lecture will be given by Angela Romano, Senior Research Fellow at the Department of History and Civilization, European University Institute.

Deadlines: Please send an abstract of up to 500 words and a short bio (max. 100 words) to S.B.Pedersen@uva.nl before 15 December 2016. Notification of acceptance will be issued at the end of the year. Final workshop papers are due on 15 March 2017.

Conference fee: €50 covering lunches and a conference dinner.

Funding: Limited funding is available to cover accommodation and travel costs. Please indicate when submitting the abstract if you would like to apply for funding.

Programm

Kontakt

Sune Bechmann Pedersen

East European Studies
Kloveniersburgwal 48, 1012 CX, Amsterdam

s.b.pedersen@uva.nl