Key Details
- Dates: 4-8 August, 2025
- Location: Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany
- Deadline for Submissions: 24 January, 2025
- Notification date: 7 February, 2025
- Submission form: https://kaleidoscopingeuropes.com
- Contact: summerschool-kaleidoscopingeuropes@uni-saarland.de
- Application criteria: graduate / PhD student based at or supported by a research facility (university, museum, research institution …)
- Application Requirements: Please submit an abstract (max. 250 words) of your PhD project, a brief letter of motivation stating your interest in this Summer School (max. 200 words) and a short bio including your research interests and academic background via the website form.
External Guest Speakers
Assoc. Prof. C. Ceyhun Arslan, Koç University, Istanbul
Gazmend Kapllani, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois
Professor Anthony Pagden, University of California
Objectives: Kaleidoscoping Europes
Europe can be seen through a kaleidoscope of perspectives: as a former colonial power with a legacy that continues to shape its global relationships; as a continent of vast regional diversity, with numerous regions striving for recognition; as a political and economic powerhouse confronted with the internal disparities among EU member states; and as a cultural entity with a rich artistic history, yet with many of its artists and thinkers struggling to define or redefine their (non-)European identity. Much like a kaleidoscope, Europe is one object fragmented into many interrelated parts—each view is shaped by the position of the observer and the angle from which it is seen. And yet, the question of one European identity persists.
At a time when Eurocentrism is being critically questioned, and global perspectives are becoming ever more significant, it is crucial to explore Europe not as a monolithic entity but as a diverse, contested, and evolving concept. Questioning the very notion of Europe, as well as what it means to be European, has become a key concern across various academic disciplines. An increasing number of scholars, spanning from literary studies to political science and sociology, now challenge established definitions of European and non-European identity, while historians seek to reframe Europe’s role in global history, often reshaping their understanding of history itself in the process.
This Summer School aims to critically exchange and develop modern approaches to understanding Europe’s histories, cultures, and politics in relation to and seen from within and beyond European borders. We seek to examine how non-European perspectives can provide new insights into challenges Europe faces—such as cultural tension, migration, public health crises, and economic asymmetries—issues that other regions of the world may have different perspectives on and more experience dealing with. By turning the kaleidoscope, we want to acknowledge that the subject, the viewer, and the instrument through which the viewer perceives the subject all play vital parts in the image they create.
Participants of the Summer School can choose between workshops in comparative literature, history of science and heritage, and political sciences and social studies, held by experts in their field, each providing a distinct lens to critically examine the kaleidoscopic nature of Europe. These parallel sessions will allow them to delve deeper into their specific fields of interest, fostering rich discussions and generating new insights into the continent’s evolving identities and global connections.
Through these discussions, we hope to move beyond traditional, hierarchical approaches to knowledge production, creating an interactive and experimental space where participants can exchange ideas and build long-term research networks.
The respective research areas approach the concept of the summer school under the following premisses:
- Comparative Literature: Contemporary literary texts often engage critically with concepts of Europe, challenging conventional ideas and assumptions. This workshop will bring together scholars of comparative literature to explore the question: “How do literary texts irritate traditional notions of Europe?” Centred on the post-colonial concept of “irritating Europe,” we will examine how literary texts construct alternative European topographies by uncovering deep entanglements with the non-European world. Drawing upon concepts of memory studies, we will also investigate how texts critically rewrite European archives and histories, exposing blind spots and drawing unexpected connections between marginalized groups and overlooked historical narratives.
- History of Science and Heritage: European narratives of superiority and idealised knowledge movements, such as that of the Enlightenment, have shaped the continent’s past and present understanding of science. The 19th century saw a rise in colonialism and the birth of public exhibitions housed in impressive museum buildings, opulent World Fairs, and private entertainment events as well as in print and academia. With the professionalisation of natural history, Europe invented “science”, based on its traditions as well as its construction of knowledge superiority over other systems of knowledge-gaining. Two workshops will examine narratives of scientific cultures specifically in intercontinental collections and their displays through the lens of colonial knowledge, to discuss the challenges of decolonising heritage and science.
- Political Sciences and Social Studies: Group identities are deeply embedded within nation-building theories, questions of political support and legitimacy. The field of research benefits from the intertwined nature of approaches to political and social psychology. In light of this, two workshops have been specifically designed. The first workshop focuses on political science approaches to understanding the role of identity in nation-building, its relevance for the European Union, and the reflection on social science methods. The second workshop takes a closer look at the social psychological foundations of social identity, its development and evolution over the past years, and reflects on experimental ideas linked to the topic of Europe.
About the Summer School
This Summer School aims to create a space for critical, open dialogue across disciplines and geographic boundaries by offering various formats and opportunities in the border region of Saarland. Saarland, located at the heart of Europe near the borders of France, Luxembourg, and Belgium, boasts a rich and dynamic history shaped by its proximity to these nations and its unique status following World War II as a focal point of Franco-German relations and European integration. At the centre of this vibrant interregional setting is Saarland University, a forward-thinking institution that has placed Europe at the core of its research and teaching. Its interdisciplinary approach is exemplified by the Cluster for European Research (CEUS), which advances cutting-edge scholarship and fosters collaboration among renowned researchers in fields such as law, political science, human geography, comparative literature, linguistics, history, philosophy, and theology. CEUS channels its expertise into specialised bachelor’s and certificate programmes, providing students with direct access to cutting- edge research and equipping them with interdisciplinary tools to critically engage with Europe’s complexities. Building on this foundation, the Research Training Group “Europe” extends this commitment to the next generation of scholars, nurturing PhD candidates and postdoctoral researchers as they develop innovative approaches to the continent’s pressing questions, past and present.
This Summer School, organised by Evgenia Dourou, Philipp König, and Alexander Stoeger— members of the Research Training Group—provides an ideal platform for early-career researchers to exchange ideas and expand discussions on Europe’s diverse and complex dimensions.
We particularly encourage applications from early career researchers outside Europe as well as from regions of the European periphery who are eager to contribute non-European or Europe-critical perspectives to this conversation. Thanks to the financial support of the Ernst Röchling Foundation, there are no participation or accommodation fees. We will also be able to provide support for participants’ travel costs. To be considered for support, please provide a rough estimate of your travel costs when applying.
For more information and the latest updates on the Summer School, please visit our website: https://kaleidoscopingeuropes.com.
Join us as we look through the kaleidoscope to explore the multifaceted identities, histories, and futures of Europe!