The common history of Southern Austria and Slovenia during the Habsburg Monarchy has resulted in the situation that thousands of archaeological objects and documents from what is now Slovenia can be found in Austrian museums and archives. As part of an EU project, this material will be made available until 2014, and we would like to explore the museological dimension of this topic in a public conference: What do changing political demarcations mean for the way in which museums deal with historical remains? But what happens if these become important for the identity of a particular group or population of a region, but they are found in the institutions of another country? Where might we find constructive discussions on this topic already in progress? What practical solutions have theoretical debates provided? And what use is the term “European cultural heritage” in this context?

In order to examine these questions, we are interested in exhibitions, documentation initiatives and collecting concepts as well as research and cultural projects in German-speaking countries and beyond that focus and focused on the common history of separated nations, regions and cities as well as on memory debates at frontier areas or else negotiate(d) conflicts about objects and symbols owing to changed political borders.

The Call for Papers aims at both people who are engaged practicality in this context and scientists who do/did research work within the framework of these questions, kept record, analysed and evaluated it.

We welcome abstract of no more than 600 words and ask you to submit a short CV to Theresa Zifko (theresa.zifko@museum-joanneum.at) by June 4th, 2012.

Time allocation at the conference: 30 minutes.
Languages of the event: German, Slovenien and English.
Contact and further information:
Theresa Zifko
Museumsakademie Joanneum
8020 Graz, Austria
theresa.zifko@museum-joanneum.at