Voluntariness and Participation – Talk at the Department of History in Erfurt

On Thursday, November 10, 2022, Elena from the subproject “Voluntariness and Dictatorship: Voluntary Participation in the Neuererwesen of the German Democratic Republic” will share aspects of her research for her dissertation project with us.

In her talk at the research colloquium at the Department of History at the University of Erfurt she will speak about voluntariness as an analytical lens on the history of work and participation in a socialist society and will discuss voluntariness and political participation in the “Neuererwesen” of the GDR.

Elena’s talk is entitled “Neuerertum als Machtausübung? Freiwilligkeit und politische Partizipation in der DDR-Neuererbewegung” and will take place on campus at Erfurt University. We are meeting in building LG 4, room D08, from 12-2 pm (c.t.). You are cordially invited to join us!

Each fall members of the Department of History are presenting highlights from their current research or point to future projects. Find more information on who else will be presenting at the department’s lecture series this semester on the poster on the left or download it here.

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What Else Is New?

Programm Konferenz in Graz

Conference on Solidarity and Volutnariness in Graz

On September 12 and 13, 2023, two co-investigators from the research unit will be speaking at the conference “Solidarity and Voluntarism in State-Socialist Societies” at the University of Graz, Austria. For a panel on Friday Carolyn Taratko and Elena M. E. Kiesel will be presenting aspects of their research projects on voluntariness in Ghana and the GDR.

Workshop – Reflect Yourself!?

On July 13 and 14, 2023, the workshop titled “Reflect yourself!?” will take place at the University of Erfurt. Exploring the research field of public history and its potential for (self)reflection in historical scholarship, both established scholars, junior researchers and students come together to discuss the topic in regard to their daily work and historical research.

We Welcome Mitchell Dean as Mercator Fellow 2023!

In summer 2023, we welcome Professor Mitchell Dean as Mercator Fellow of the Research Unit on Voluntariness. The political sociologist will support the projects of the research unit from April to July 2023 as a renowned expert in the field of governmentality studies.