A Postcolonial Condition? Art, Literature, Film, and the Everyday in Eastern Europe.

Organised by Marina Gerber, Petra Lange-Berndt, Anja Tippner, Eastern European / Slavic Studies and Department of History of Art, Universität Hamburg.

Decolonial and postcolonial studies play a major role in Eastern Europe both in theory and in aesthetic practices such as art, literature, film, and visual and material culture. The resulting shift in perspective, especially since 1989, has shed light on peripheral actors and non-hegemonic positions. Debates about decolonisation have increasingly been shaped by the need to examine imperial structures, by site-sensitive approaches and by a re-examination of Eurocentric points of view. These debates have gained new urgency since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by the Russian Federation and the ensuing war. Important questions remain, however, about whether and how theories of decolonisation developed with other geographies in mind relate to Eastern Europe and exploring these can offer pertinent insights for the wider debate. The diversity of post-socialist spaces, which extend from Central Europe through the Baltic States, Russia and Ukraine to Central Asia, provides material for comparison in the light of different geopolitical, environmental and political constellations.

This Summer School will focus on these recent discussions and explore the following questions: Can post-socialist conditions be described as postcolonial? Or do we need to go further back in history and think about postcoloniality in Eastern Europe as a post-imperial space? If so, what might the decolonisation of Eastern Europe look like? What is the relationship between postcolonial, post-socialist and post-imperial dynamics? What role can the arts play in these processes? Which aesthetic practices can be described as decolonising? How do authors and artists develop alternative modes for situating themselves as Eastern European? How do postcolonial approaches adapt to cultural and historical experience and to new political conditions in the regions?

This event is aimed at doctoral students, postdocs, prospective researchers as well as artists who would like to discuss their current academic and / or artistic projects on the topic. We also intend to invite scholars, writers and artists from the regions mentioned. Please send your CV and a short abstract (350 words) of your presentation to marina.gerberuni-hamburg.de.

The Summer School will be held in English and German at Warburg-Haus, Hamburg (http://www.warburg-haus.de). Accommodation costs will be covered. An application for funding for travel expenses has been submitted. The application deadline is 2 May 2025. Participants will be notified by mid-May.