Paper submissions are welcomed for the 6th Annual Graduate Conference in European History - Transformation in European History - that will be held in Vienna, Austria, on May 3–5, 2012.
The “transition” of political systems in Southern Europe and Latin America since the 1970s and the revolutionary changes in Central and Eastern Europe in 1989/91 have resulted in the rise of “transformation studies” in social sciences. The term transformation is commonly understood as the politically steered transition from communist dictatorship to democracy, from a planned to a market economy, and from a closed to an open society. In contrast to this teleological reading the 6th GRACEH conference intends to explore a historical approach to transformation. A very broad working definition of the term would characterize transformation as a “period of especially intense and accelerated structural changes on a political, social, economic, and cultural level” that were caused by major political and social upheavals such as the breakdown of the continental empires in 1918, the French Revolution in the late 18th century, or the Reformation. Unlike the social sciences, we wish to broaden the application as far back as to the beginning of modern age. In what way can this concept of transformation be applied to contemporary, modern and early modern contexts? What kind of adjustments of the concept are required for the historicization of transformation?
The Weidenfeld Scholarships and Leadership Programme cultivates the leaders of tomorrow from transition and emerging economies by providing outstanding university graduates and young professionals with the opportunity to pursue fully funded graduate studies at the University of Oxford and access to a comprehensive programme of leadership development, long-term mentoring and networking.
