The research platform Cultural Encounters and Transfers (CEnT) and the doctoral program “Figuration ‘Counterculture’” of the Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck call for participants for the international Summer School “Counterculture and ‘Counterconcept’”. The Summer School will take place at the University of Innsbruck 15.-19.07.2013.

Countercultures are here understood as groups with or without alternative concepts (counterconcepts) whose values and norms contradict those of the society of which they are part. Counterconcepts can be understood as being the foundation of countercultural action, but also to remain within the status of an idea.

The following questions may be dealt with. Further questions are welcome.

- Which external and internal circumstances are necessary for the formation of countercultures
and counterconcepts?

- How can the relation between counterculture and counterconcept be characterised? (Interaction, independence, dependence, …)

- Which external and internal circumstances can trigger change within countercultures and counterconcepts?

- In which forms do countercultures and counterconcepts manifest themselves?

- How do countercultures/counterconcepts on the one side and mainstream society on the other interact? (Formation of countercultures, counter reaction of the mainstream society, etc.)

- Under what circumstance does a mainstream society integrate changes intended by countercultures? Is there an ‘evolutionary’ progress? Are countercultures to be understood as ‘engines of social change’?

We invite graduate students of the humanities and the social sciences (sociology, politics, ethnography, history, archaeology, literature, linguistics etc.) to participate.

If you want to do so, please send an abstract of no more than 500 words (preferably in English) and a short academic biography (including current affiliation, if applicable) to dk-figuration-gegenkultur@uibk.ac.at (Friederike Wolfrum).

Please note that a fee of €50 will be charged and that there are only 10 places to fill.

For further information and a detailed concept, please visit: www.uibk.ac.at/cent/summerschool. The Summer School will be held in English and German.