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OFF-SITE Workshop: Cold War Culture - The Global Conflict and its Legacies in Germany since 1945

The Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), in cooperation with Cambridge University and the "Germany and the World in the Age of Glibalization" project, are pleased to announce a workshop to discuss current research on Cold War Germany from various thematic perspectives and to raise new questions on the societal impact of this global conflict. The workshop will be held at the FRIAS School of History in Germany from 19 September 2012 to 21 September 2012.

The Freiburg Institue, in cooperation with the University of Cambridge, the Free University of Berlin and the University of Konstanz, is pleased to announce a workshop entitled, "Cold War Culture - The Global Conflict and its Legacies in Germany since 1945." The workshop will be held on 19-21 September 2012 off-site at the FRIAS School of History in Germany.

For a long time Cold War historians have primarily focused on the diplomatic history of the global confrontation. Recent years, however, have seen a significant diversification of thematic perspectives and methodological approaches. A great number of studies have further explored the various effects this political conflict had on the many different societies around the globe. Most prominent amongst these societies that were affected by the Cold War are the two Germanies that existed after 1945.   

"Cold War Culture" will discuss current research on Cold War Germany from various thematic perspectives and to raise new questions on the societal impact of this global conflict. By approaching the Cold War as an all-encompassing, dichotomous cultural condition the workshop will highlight historically diverse phenomena such as the role of experts and elites, criminology and constitutional reform, development policies, the mass media and consumerism.

Email Jasmin Gauch for questions and to register.

Visit the FRIAS website for more information.

Workshop Agenda

Wednesday, 19 September 201214:00 Welcome at the FRIAS14:30 Panel 1: Experts and Elites:                       Chair: Helke Rausch (University of Freiburg)   Stephen J. Scala (George Mason University): Intellectual Change through Rapprochement? Interaction between East and West German Außenpolitiker and the Challenge to Cold War BipolarityRüdiger Bergien (ZZF Potsdam): Antiimperialismus und der Kampf um die gesellschaftliche Hegemonie. Kommunistische Machtsicherungseliten in der „Cold War Culture“ der DDR16:00 Coffee Break16:30 Panel 2: Economy:Chair: Jörg Arnold (University of Freiburg)William G. Gray (Purdue University): Stability First: How the Bonn Republic Avoided Cold War Economic DictatesMartin Albers (University of Cambridge): Business with China, Détente with Moscow: The Federal Republic of Germany and China during the Second Cold War, 1978-198218:00 Snack19:00 – 20:30 Keynote Address:Richard Evans (University of Cambridge): The Cold War and the Rebuilding of German Culture Thursday, 20 September 20129:00 Panel 3: Law and Criminology:Chair: Sonja Levsen (University of Freiburg)Sebastian Gehrig (University of Heidelberg): Cold War Identities: Constitutional Reform and Citizenship between East and West Germany, 1967-75Toby Simpson (University of Cambridge/Wiener Library): Crime and Culture in the Cold War Germanies: The Impact and Legacy of Criminology, 1949-199010:30 Coffee Break11:00 Panel 4: Mass Media:Chair: Ulrich Herbert (University of Freiburg/FRIAS)Thomas Beutelschmidt (ZZF Potsdam): Zwischen Ost und West. Das DDR-Fernsehen im Spannungsfeld der Cold War CultureSven Grampp (University of Erlangen-Nürnberg): Space Pens und sowjetische Bleistifte im luftleeren Raum:  Die Live-Berichterstattung über die erste bemannte Mondlandung im westdeutschen Fernsehen12:30 Lunch in the FRIAS Lounge14:00 Panel 5: Culture and Consumerism:Chair: Richard Bessel (University of York/FRIAS)Bodo Mrozek (ZZF Potsdam/FU Berlin): Secret Agents, Pop and the Politics of Censorship: The Spy Craze in divided Germany during the 1960sKatrin Schreiter (University of Pennsylvania): From Competition to Cooperation: Cold War Diplomacy of German Design15:30 Coffee Break16:00 Panel 6: Development and Decolonization:Chair: Boris Barth (University of Konstanz)Corinna Unger (Jacobs University Bremen): Exporting Development: The Nexus between West German Business Interests, Foreign Aid, and the 'German Question' in the Context of the Cold WarYoung-Sun Hong (State University of New York): The Third World in the two Germanies: An Entangled History of the Cold War and Decolonization         19:30 Dinner at restaurant “Oberkirch”, Münsterplatz 22 Friday, 21 September 20129:00 Panel 7: Images:Chair: Richard Evans (University of Cambridge)Philipp Baur (University of Augsburg): Populärkultur und Nachrüstungsdebatte der 1980er JahreSilke Betscher (University of Bremen): Wie der Kalte Krieg in die deutschen Köpfe kam – Bilder und Gegenbilder in ost- und westdeutschen Nachkriegsillustrierten10:30 Coffee Break11:00 Panel 8: Final Discussion:Concluding Remarks:Ulrich Herbert (University of Freiburg/FRIAS) andBernd Weisbrod (University of Göttingen)11:45 Discussion13:00  Lunch in the FRIAS Lounge/Snack

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