Call for Applications German-Russian

Call for Applications
German-Russian-Ukrainian youth encounter “Model Historical Dispute: Competing
Memories of the Second World War“
Marburg, Germany, November 16-24th, 2016
The Center for Conflict Studies (CCS) at the University of Marburg (Germany) is delighted to announce the Call
for Applications for the German-Russian-Ukrainian youth encounter “Model Historical Dispute: Competing
Memories of the Second World War”. The CCS has been awarded a grant by the foundation “Remembrance,
Responsibility, and Future” (Erinnerung, Verantwortung, Zukunft: EVZ) to organize a youth encounter in the
framework of its MEET UP! programme of youth encounters. The project is taking place in collaboration with
Youth NGO Iskra (Ukraine) and Youth Human Rights Movement (Russian Federation) in Marburg from
November 16th until November 24th, 2016.
The project deals with controversies about the meaning of history. In all societies, history is constantly being reevaluated and re-written in accordance with the perspectives of the present. Both historians and politicians
develop historical narratives. Whether in textbooks, on historic sites, or in official declarations, representations of
the past are surrounded by competing claims of truth and moral value. Struggles for interpretative dominance
eventually serve the legitimation of present and future policy. Thus, the way societies deal with their history is
more telling about the present than about the past. The Second World War remains one of the most controversial
historical periods in Europe. Interpretations of its main causes, victims and consequences vary greatly and are
applied in current political debates both at the international and domestic level.
The objectives of the summer school are threefold. First, the summer school aims at acquainting participants with
the socially constructed character of historical events as well as the concept of politics of memory and examples
of various interpretations of shared historical events from Germany, Ukraine, and Russia. Second, participants
will receive training in the method of simulation games. Third, participants will apply the acquired skills in
practice by participating in an existing simulation game and later writing their own scenarios for a simulation
that is relevant to the participants’ countries’ experiences. The completed scenarios will be available for taking
back home. We strongly encourage participants to facilitate the implementation of the simulation game with
other participants back home.
Working language will be English. Participants will be young people aged 18-29. There will be 6 participants
from Germany, 6 from Ukraine, and 6 from Russia. The lecturers and trainers are from Germany.
In order to be eligible to apply, participants must be residents of Ukraine OR Germany OR the Russian
Federation (your nationality/ethnicity is irrelevant). All applicants are asked to submit a CV of no more than two
pages and a letter of motivation of no more than 700 words, both in English. The letter of motivation should
outline the reasons for applying and the intended benefits you expect for your further studies at university,
research, or professional career. Please indicate any plans you have for using the simulation game scenario that
you will bring back from the youth encounter.
Please send your application and possible enquiries to <[email protected]>.
Submission deadline: September 1st, 2016.
Participants will be selected and notified by October 1st, 2016.
Thanks to the financial support by the Foundation EVZ, we can offer full funding for travel, accommodation and
board for all accepted applicants. Participants from Russia and Ukraine need to cover the cost of travel to the
nearest embassy themselves.

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