Dissent, Conscience and the Wall
Call for papers & activeDissent,
project participation
Consciencefrom
and students
the Walland young adults
What
Call for papers & active project participation from students and young adults
The 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall occurs on 9 November 2014. This was, and remains, a
landmark event What
– the coming down of the Wall curiously symbolising the raising of Churchill’s ‘Iron Curtain’ which was continental
impact. It of
heralded
European
identity and
evenThis
in values.
The 25thinanniversary
the fall aofparadigm
the Berlinshift
Wallinoccurs
on 9 November
2014.
was, To
mark the anniversary,
the European
Commission
hascoming
awarded
the of
Thomas
More
Institutesymbolising
[TMI] (an the
initiative
and remains,
a landmark
event – the
down
the Wall
curiously
raising
of Churchill’s
‘Iron Curtain’
thatand
wasits
continental
It heralded
a paradigm
of the Netherhall
Educational
Association
[NEA])
partners ininimpact.
the European
University
College
shift
in
European
identity
and
even
in
values.
To
mark
the
anniversary,
the
European
Association [EUCA] a grant to host a sequence of events 2014–15. The Project bears the title Dissent,
Commission has awarded the Thomas More Institute [TMI] (an initiative of the Netherhall
Conscience, andEducational
the Wall. TMI
(with EUCA)
planned
series of
preparatory
to larger
European
Association
[NEA])hasand
its partners
in seminars
the European
University
College
symposia to be Association
held in London
and Brussels.
will include
a mix 2014–15.
of presentations
by expert
[EUCA]
a grant to Events
host a sequence
of events
The Project
bears speakers,
the
title and
Dissent,
Conscience,forand
the Wall. TMI
(with EUCA)
has planned
series
of seminars
papers by students,
an opportunity
a delegation
of actively
participating
students
to travel
(funded by
preparatory
to
larger
European
symposia
to
be
held
in
London
and
Brussels.
Events
will
the Project) to a symposium in Brussels (taking place between the two London symposia) to give papers,
as
include a mix of presentations by expert speakers, papers by students, and an opportunity
well as to share for
perceptions
and concerns
with
colleagues students
from other
countries.
a delegation
of actively
participating
to EU
travel
(funded by the Project) to a
Purpose
symposium in Brussels (taking place between the two London symposia) to give papers, as
well as to share perceptions and concerns with colleagues from other EU countries.
Purpose
The Project revolves
around three key themes, all related to the fall of the Berlin Wall:
Pre-1989 tolerance of dissent and freedom of conscience on either side of the Iron Curtain;
DCW project
will enable
academics
to shareWall
with(and
citizens,
andofyoung
The roles of The
conscience
and dissent
in bringing
aboutand
the historians,
fall of the Berlin
raising
the Iron
people
in
particular,
the
history
and
ongoing
implications
of
the
fall
of
the
Berlin
Wall
as it
Curtain) in and around 1989;
relates to freedom of conscience and dissent in public. DCW will raise the public profile of
Changing perceptions
of conscience
and of
dissent
in Europe
since
1989.
debate on matters
of freedom
of tolerance
conscienceofand
dissent
in public,
while
also contributing in
a very real way to research into this area. Participants to DCW will better understand the
significance of freedom of conscience and toleration of dissent in the building of a truly
Dates, times, venues
sustainable Europe.
As symposium,
an international
project DCW
will encourage
greater cooperation
studentsTerrace,
from
The first (London)
scheduled
for Saturday
29 November
2014 at thebetween
TMI in Nutley
different
countries,
and
offer
an
account
of
the
different
situations
faced
by
citizens
across
Hampstead NW3 5SA (very near Finchley Road underground station, and not very far from Hampstead
the EU. DCW will prepare participants to think critically about characteristics of current
underground station
as well asapproaches
Finchley Road
& Frognalofstation
on the and
London
Overground)
will treatthe
of the
international
to freedom
conscience
dissent,
acknowledging
first of the threeimportance
themes above:
‘Pre-1989
of Dissent
and Freedom
of The
Conscience
on Either
of our
shared Tolerance
cultural heritage
as European
citizens.
project will
draw Side
attention
to
the
rights
and
responsibilities
of
ordinary
citizens
in
regard
to
the
project
of the Iron Curtain’. It will run from 9.30am to 5.00pm, and will be attended by students and other young
themes,
and as
explore
how
can bepeers.
best implemented
their and
ownabenefit
and thein the
people from around
the EU
well as
by their
theirrights
UK-based
We will havefor
dinner
piano recital
benefits of wider society.
evening. All are very welcome to attend. Apart from longer keynote addresses by established scholars and
public figures, selected
young
adultsaround
will also
present
shorterall
versions
own
WeWall:
warmly invite
The Project
revolves
three
key themes,
related of
to their
the fall
of papers.
the Berlin
you to consider applying. See the last section of this document for details of how to submit. You will have the
opportunity to practice giving your paper and discussing your ideas beforehand, at seminars.
· Pre-1989 tolerance of dissent and freedom of conscience on either side of the Iron Curtain;
· The roles of conscience and dissent in bringing about the fall of the Berlin Wall (and
raising of the Iron Curtain) in and around 1989;
· Changing perceptions of conscience and of tolerance of dissent in Europe since 1989.
Dates, times, venues
The first (London) symposium, scheduled for Saturday 29 November 2014 at the TMI in
Nutley Terrace, Hampstead NW3 5SA (very near Finchley Road underground station, and
not very far from Hampstead underground station as well as Finchley Road & Frognal
station on the London Overground) will treat of the first of the three themes above: ‘Pre1989 Tolerance of Dissent and Freedom of Conscience on Either Side of the Iron
Curtain’. It will run from 9.30am to 5.00pm, and will be attended by students and other
young people from around the EU as well as by their UK-based peers. We will have dinner
and a piano recital in the evening. All are very welcome to attend. Apart from longer
keynote addresses by established scholars and public figures, selected young adults will
also present shorter versions of their own papers. We warmly invite you to consider
applying. See the last section of this document for details of how to submit. You will have
the opportunity to practice giving your paper and discussing your ideas beforehand, at
seminars.
Possible topics for the first symposium in London 29 November 2014
Some suggestions for the kinds of topics that might fruitfully be explored in papers are: the White Rose student movement in Germany; the Solidarity movement in Poland; the 'Velvet Revolution' in Czechoslovakia; conscientious objectors to military service; the underground press; artistic and cultural resistance to Soviet Communism; cinematic portrayals of the life under communism (The Lives of Others, Goodbye Lenin, etc.); the western Press's presentation of the Berlin Wall and of life in the East; biographies and autobiographies of well-­‐known protagonists; or the reasons given for restricting dissent, freedom of speech and freedom of conscience in the East as well as in the West. Please be aware that these are only suggestions and applicants are invited to pursue any topic that is relevant to the project theme. How to submit your paper
TMI/EUCA invites submission of 200-word abstracts (accompanied by brief CVs) from
those (of whatever speciality) who would like to offer papers directly relevant to the theme.
These should be sent to:
[email protected]
The deadline is 14 November, 5pm, London time.
Please indicate if you intend to make a PowerPoint presentation on the day. Those selected to participate will be grouped in chaired panels of three or four persons, each member of which will be given a (strictly interpreted) maximum of ten minutes for presentation, after which they will be protagonists in a chaired discussion. They will be invited to offer extended written versions of their papers for wider diffusion on the Project website. All papers must be presented in English, which is to be the common working language of Project symposia and of the final report. The most striking and thought-­‐provoking presenters may be invited to contribute directly to the final report of the Project, as well as to be present (funded by the Project) at the second symposium early in 2015 and/or at the presentation of the report in September 2015, both held in Brussels. This project has been funded with support from the
European Commission.
This publication [communication] reflects the views only
of the author, and the
Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which
may be made of the information contained therein.