Lunch Time Talks - Beyond Communism: Imagining the Future in Times of Transition
- Date
- Tuesday 8 October 2024
- Time
- Address
- Faculty Club
Rapenburg 73
2311 GJ Leiden - Room
- Faculty Club
About the Event
Dr. Schellens' research focuses on intersections between the cultural histories of Russia and Germany during the (late) twentieth and twentyfirst century. In examining these intersections, she is particularly interested in the question of how people turn to literature, art, and critical thought to reflect on and voice societal concerns about their past, present, and future. From 2024 until 2028, she will work on my research project ‘Beyond Post-Communism: Imagining the Future in Times of Transition’, which is funded by NWO (Dutch Research Council, Veni funding scheme). Here is a short description: How did people across Eastern Europe imagine the future during the transitions of the 1980s and 1990s? The umbrella term ‘post-communism’ does not provide an answer to this question. This project explores how writers and cultural theorists saw the potential future of their societies from the era of perestroika until the late 1990s. By comparing Russia and Eastern Germany, this study maps the diverse future scenarios envisioned in the former communist region. By examining cultural reflections on transitions in the recent past, the project seeks to contribute to present-day societal debates about the urgency of imagining alternative futures.
Registration
Please RSVP to s.a.cramsey@hum.leidenuniv.nl to confirm your space.