The Goethe-Institut is offering the internationally announced 2014 Intercultural Award for next-generation academic researchers in the historical sciences. The award ceremony will be held as part of the Convention of German Historians (Historikertag) under the heading “Winners and Losers,” from 23 – 26 September 2014 at Georg August-University Göttingen. To date, the award has been given to promote intercultural scientific and scholarly exchange in the disciplines of philosophy and sociology. Through the promotion of innovative young historians, the Goethe-Institut seeks to contribute to the perception of the historical sciences as a further area of activity for cultural and educational relations abroad.
ESSAY
1914-2014 – A change in perspective
The First World War has shifted into the centre of public attention with the centennial of its outbreak. Although this war was long overshadowed by the Second World War in German remembrance culture, in the commemorative year 2014 it is now experiencing recognition closely approaching that in Germany’s western European neighbour states. Reevaluation of diplomatic sources, but at the same time more recent access via historical experience and cultural memory, set new trends in historiography on World War I.
Essays submitted for the Intercultural Award 2014 should link reflections on war and its consequences with its relevance for the present by taking into account current historical research. Is a re-assessment of the First World War also associated with the increase in attention? Is a common European remembrance culture on the “Great War” emerging? These are possible questions to be addressed in your essay. In addition, other aspects are also of interest, such as the political consequences of the war for the European community of nations in a long-term perspective as well as the intellectual and aesthetic effects of this epoch.
CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION
The announcement is aimed at next-generation academic researchers in the historical sciences, primarily post-docs, but also doctoral and habilitation candidates, and junior professors without age-limit. Participation in the Goethe-Institut’s Intercultural Award competition is expressly not limited to German-language researchers.
Submission of a contribution in German or English in essay format is required.
The Goethe-Institut is fundamentally interested in a public reception and understanding of science and scholarship. In addition to in-depth development with citation of consulted sources and reference to the current state of research, it is therefore desirable to frame your considerations as appealingly as possible in a personal approach. The text should be formulated in a generally comprehensible language accessible to an interested (non-specialist) audience.
SUBMISSION OF CONTRIBUTIONS
Competition contributions can be submitted through 1 May 2014 at:
Department 31 – Science and Current Affairs
Goethe-Institut, Headquarters Munich
Dachauer Str. 122
D-80637 Munich
Tel.: +40 89 15921-309
Fax: +49 89 15921-237
Simone.Lenz@goethe.de
Contributions must not exceed 40,000 characters (including spaces) and in terms of form and content must satisfy internationally accepted scientific standards and expectations. To enable character count, contributions must be submitted in a standard word processing format (for example as a Word document) and as a PDF document.
Please include a personal data sheet (CV) in tabular format and a declaration of authorship stating that your contribution was written independently and exclusively with the use of separately listed resources.
Your contribution, CV and declaration of authorship must be presented in both electronic format (preferably as an e-mail attachment) and as a paper document.
JURY
Selection will be made by a jury chosen for this purpose, consisting of: Prof. Schulze-Wessel, Chairman of the Association of German Historians, Prof. Sabrow, a member of the advisory board of the Goethe-Institut’s Department of Science and Current Affairs and a representative of the Goethe-Institut.
AWARD
The award consists of a grant earmarked for publication costs or project support with a total value of 2,500 € (two thousand five hundred Euros). The Goethe-Institut must be expressly mentioned in your publication or project context.
The award winner will be invited to the award ceremony as part of the Convention of German Historians at Georg-August-University Göttingen (23 – 26 September 2014).