Summer School - People on the Move in Twentieth-Century Europe, June 4-July 13 2018, Germany

The Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies (ZIP) will hold its the fifth annual Summer School of Interdisciplinary Polish and German Studies.This program is designed for up to 30 university-level (post-doctoral, doctoral, graduate or advanced undergraduate) researchers interested in Polish/German studies broadly defined. In addition to providing the equivalent of one academic year of language instruction, the summer school also offers graduate-level seminars on Polish/German studies (in English, German and Polish) by the academic staff of a renowned university.

The Summer School is designed for academically driven students in the advanced phases of their research (advanced BA, MA, and PhD students, as well as Post-Docs). In previous years, the program had students from four continents and from the best international universities spend six weeks in Frankfurt/Oder and Słubice. 

The focus of this year’s Summer School is “People on the Move in Twentieth-Century Europe.” This Summer School focuses on different aspects of the mass movement of people in the region (and beyond), and shows how societies in Europe dealt with the influx of different populations. Be it for work, refuge, or simply a vacation, the twentieth century has been one of mass mobility in Europe. At the beginning of the century, few people traveled outside of their region. But by 2000, tourism in Europe had become one of the largest industries. The “problem” of mass migration from war zones is not unique to the recent conflicts in the Middle East: millions of people from all nationalities were forced from their homes during the two world wars. During the Cold War, governments on both sides of the Iron Curtain accepted political refugees as a matter of principle. The ways in which societies react to mass migration—from the physical destruction of buildings and monuments belonging to the would-be “foreign enemy,” but also to the erection of tourist villages to cater to rich visitors from abroad—reveals how complicated and complex the issue is. In the era of Schengen, the mass movement of people has become perhaps the most salient symbol of European integration, just as the creation of populist parties to “protect native culture” shows the societal disconnect across the European Union. The Summer School focuses primarily on history, but the scope ranges from economics to anthropology. It is an attempt to explain the plethora of ways in which societies have reacted to modern mass mobility.

The Summer School is made up of four main parts: language instruction, advanced research seminars, excursions, and specialist lectures.

Application

To apply to the Summer School, please download an application form. A placement test will be sent to the applicant after receiving the application. The applicant should also enroll at pol-int.org and fill out as much information as possible about his/her academic interests.

All materials should be sent via email to: letniaszkola@europa-uni.de

The applicant will be notified at the latest by April 9, 2018, about the acceptance.

If the applicant needs a visa to stay in Poland/Germany, the program can issue a letter of acceptance that should help to apply.The program have reserved individual rooms in Słubice for the Summer School. The applicant should notify as soon as possible if he/she would like one of the rooms (or if he/she would like them to assist in finding other accommodations). They do not expect that there will be a shortage of rooms. However, priority will be given on a first come, first serve basis. Accommodations are very affordable (ca. 250EUR for the entire six weeks).

Fees

The Center for Interdisciplinary Polish Studies prides itself on offering a rich program in Polish and German studies at an affordable price. Thanks to the generous support of the Wende Museum, the Summer School will be offered at either a reduced rate or free of charge.

Note that the excursions (which run between 5-50EUR), as well as the accommodation, will not be covered. German language instruction will cost 350EUR. Polish language courses and advanced seminars, as well as local events, are all free of charge.

• Summer School Lectures, Seminars: Free of Charge
• Beginning/Advanced Polish: Free of Charge
• Advanced German: ca. 350 EUR
• Accommodation (optional): ca. 250 EUR
• Excursions: 5-50EUR each

If the applicant is applying for FLAS, he/she should inform.

Curriculum

The Summer School is designed for academically driven students (the programme will make exceptions for serious non-student scholars of Polish or German studies).

Mornings will be dedicated to language instruction. Students will receive 90 contact hours of beginning/advanced Polish or advanced German (the equivalent of one year of study). Here the applicant will cover grammar and conversation on a beginning or advanced level. The small class size (10 students per course) ensures optimal contact with the instructor and native speakers.
In addition to language instruction, the Center has designed afternoon seminars, colloquia, films, invited regional and international guest lectures, as well as special events.

Of course not all students will want to participate in all afternoon activities. They are optional. However, for those interested in learning about Polish and German history and culture (in English, German and Polish), state-of-the-art research on East Central Europe, or who want to meet scholars in their field, the Center offers seminars which are open to Summer School students. For students who would like to earn graduate-level credit in seminars, the university will provide a transcript of record (free of charge) for students’ home university.

The Summer School will be ended by a one-day workshop where participants will present their research on topics related to “People on the Move.”

Seminars planned for the Summer School are as follows:

• People on the Move: A History of Migration in 20th Century Europe, by Mark Keck-Szajbel
• "Za chlebem" i swobodny przepływ pracowników - polska migracja zarobkowa w historii najnowszej, by Dagmara Jajeśniak-Quast
• Deutsche Erfahrungen mit Migration und Integration in Geschichte und Gegenwart, by Jan Musekamp

In addition to seminars, excursions to area sites of interest, as well as cultural opportunities in and around Słubice and Frankfurt (Oder) are offered.

For students interested in independent study and research, Fridays and weekends have been left open. Słubice is conveniently located in relation to major archives in Poland and Germany.

FLAS recipients can receive extra hours (with fee) of private study to fulfill the 120-hour requirement.

For more information click "LINK TO ORIGINAL" below.