Conference: Remembering 1948 and 1968 - Reflections on Two Pivotal Years in Czech and Slovak History

Conference: Remembering 1948 and 1968 - Reflections on Two Pivotal Years in Czech and Slovak History

Department of Central and East European Studies, University of Glasgow

3-4 April, 2008

The Department of Central and East European Studies in conjunction with CRCEES is pleased to announce this conference to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the imposition of communism in Czechoslovakia and the 40th anniversary of the Prague Spring.

Call for papers

The conference to be held at the University of Glasgow in April 2008 and will reflect upon the impact of these momentous events on Czech and Slovak society, culture and politics. The conference will address new and changing perspectives on these historical events and discuss how these events are remembered in the Czech Republic and Slovakia today. Click to download a conference poster in PDF format (489KB) A selection of papers from the conference will be published in a special issue of Europe-Asia Studies later in 2008.

Presentations are invited on any aspect of the events of 1948 and 1968 and their impact on contemporary culture and politics. Themes could include:

  • Re-interpreting the events of 1948 and 1968 based on newly available archive materials;
  • International significance of the events;
  • Impact on ethnic minorities in Czechoslovakia;
  • Impact on the arts and media;
  • Role of exiles;
  • Attitudes towards the Communist Party;
  • Portrayal of events in contemporary literature/art/cinema;
  • Representations of the events in contemporary media.

Proposals for papers (not exceeding 250 words) should be sent to Laura Cashman (l.cashman@lbss.gla.ac.uk) no later than 30 November 2007.

Programme

Commemorating the 60th anniversary of the imposition of communism in Czechoslovakia and the 40th anniversary of the Prague Spring, the conference will reflect upon the impact of these momentous events on Czech and Slovak society, culture and politics.

Further, the conference will address new perspectives on these historical events and how they are remembered, reflect on their international significance and challenge the myths which have grown up around them.

A provisional programme, in PDF Format (404KB) for the event is now available.

Key Speakers include:

  • Antonin J. Liehm, Founder of Lettres Internationales and the editor of Listy and 150 000 slov.
  • Vilém Pre?an, Historian and Author of "Seven Prague Days" (The Prague Black Book).
  • Václav Žák, Head of the regulatory Council for Radio and Television Broadcasting and Editor in Chief of the political bimonthly Listy.

Other confirmed speakers:

Stefan Auer, Kevin Adamson, Petr Bílek, Daniel Bird, Muriel Blaive, Maud Bracke, Scott Brown, Eva Cermanova, Jan ?ulík, Marta Filipová, Jana Fischerova, Roger Gough, Mary Heimann, Juraj Marušiak, Kevin McDermott, Martin Myant, Libora Oates-Indruchova, Vladimír Papoušek, Charles Sabatos, Št?pán Strnad, Geoffrey Swain, Aviezer Tucker, Veronika Tuckerova and Deanna Wooley.

Registration

The conference fee will be £25 per day (£15 per day for students). This includes registration, coffee/tea and lunch.

Please complete the registration form in MS Word (458KB) or in PDF format (101KB) and return, no later than Wednesday 28th March to:

    Dr Laura Cashman
    Department of Central & East European Studies
    University of Glasgow
    Hetherington Building
    Bute Gardens
    Glasgow, G12 8RS.

For further information contact the conference organiser: Dr Laura Cashman (l.cashman@lbss.gla.ac.uk)

Back to News & Events