As we approach the 70th anniversary of the liberation of the camps in 2014 and 2015, the era of the living witnesses to the events of the Holocaust is drawing to a close. This conference will explore current and future trends in Holocaust studies, assessing the discipline after 70 years of historical research and its popular dissemination, and 70 years of cultural production, Holocaust education and musealisation. What is the current relationship between the Holocaust in history, memory and culture? How is this being informed and problematised by other genocides, past and present? What will be the future of Holocaust studies?

This major international conference is organised in conjunction with Holocaust Studies: A Journal of Culture and History, the Universities of Southampton, Winchester, Edinburgh, Chester and London (the Institute of Education’s Centre for Holocaust Education), the Holocaust Educational Trust and the Higher Education Academy. We invite contributions that address the production, exhibition, and reception of all forms of Holocaust representation, from history writing through museums, films and television to classical and popular music, internet and videogames, literature, fine and performing arts. Moreover, the conference aims to debate and discuss these issues as challenges that we all face as educators and researchers, and to encourage engagement with these provocative questions through exchange between academics and practitioners, scholars and teachers, being aware that the questions, challenges and roles listed here often also coincide. Are the demands of the classroom reflected in the questions posed by researchers – and vice versa? How and to what extent can recent cultural approaches to the Holocaust be used by educators? What are their strengths and limitations as teaching tools?

This will be a residential conference over three days. There will be some funding available for bursaries for postgraduates and other scholars whose home institutions cannot meet conference costs.

We welcome individual paper and panel proposals which address the future of Holocaust studies in any relevant discipline. We envisage focusing particularly on the areas of historiography, museums and public history and, broadly defined, culture.

Individual proposals of no more than 300 words, and brief biographies of no more than 100 words, should be sent to: futureofholocauststudies@gmail.com by 16 November 2012.

Organising Committee:
Dr James Jordan (University of Southampton)
Professor Tom Lawson (University of Winchester)
Dr Emiliano Perra (University of Winchester)
Dr Hannah Holtschneider (University of Edinburgh)
Dr Tim Grady (University of Chester)
Kay Andrews (Centre for Holocaust Education, University of London)
Peter D’Sena (Higher Education Academy)
Alex Maws (Holocaust Education Trust)