International research workshop Holocaust Studies after the Spatial Turn 14-16 June, 2017

Friday, 25 November, 2016

An international research workshop organised by the Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, University of Bristol and the Holocaust Research Centre, Royal Holloway, University of London Workshop organisers:
-Professor Tim Cole (Bristol);
-Dr. Simone Gigliotti (Royal Holloway, University of London);
-Professor Dan Stone (Royal Holloway, University of London)

Call for Papers
Is there a post-spatial turn underway in Holocaust Studies? If so, what are its interventions, approaches, and trends? The recent edited volumes Geographies of the Holocaust (2014) and Hitler’s Geographies (2016) were the outgrowth of two decades of work by scholars interested in exploring themes of pace, place and materiality in both the history and post-war memory of the Holocaust. Work remains to be done in analysing the sustainability and form of the intrusions of the spatial turn on future scholarly narratives of the Holocaust. This interdisciplinary workshop aims to gather an international group of
scholars to take stock of emerging research directions, and set the agenda for Holocaust studies after the spatial turn. Papers are specifically invited that examine:
• Spatial methodologies and sources – e.g. mapping, digital humanities, visualization, landscape study, practice as research.
• Site-based approaches to the Holocaust – e.g. ghetto, camp, barrack, train, road, river, forest and subterranean hiding, shelter, or resistance.
• Spatial concepts in Holocaust studies– e.g. concentration, mobility, confinement, distance, movement, scale.
• Experiences of place during the Holocaust – e.g. dislocation, transmigration, refugee journeys, evasion, place-making, spatial experience, gendered landscapes.
• Landscapes and geographies of memory and witnessing – e.g. memorials, former ghetto, camp and hiding sites, museums, sites of massacres and mass graves, physical and virtual memorialisation.

The workshop will take place across two venues – University of Bristol and the central London base of Royal Holloway, University of London – in the south of Britain, and will work with brief introductions to pre-circulated papers of c. 5-6,000 words to enable as much time for discussion as possible. It is envisioned that selected papers will form the basis for an edited volume.

Draft programme:

Wednesday 14 June, Bristol – Opening keynote by Professor Robert Jan van Pelt (University of Waterloo) followed by workshop dinner
Thursday 15 June, Bristol – Workshop day 1
Friday 16 June, London – Workshop day 2

We are hoping to be able to cover costs of accommodation in Bristol (1 night) and London (2 nights) for all participants, as well as the costs of the workshop dinner and train travel between Bristol and London. Unfortunately we are unable to cover travel costs to the workshop for
participants but hope to be able to make a contribution towards the travel costs of PhD students who are presenting papers. Please send an abstract (1 page max) and short CV (2 pages max) to the workshop organisers:

-Professor Tim Cole, University of Bristol (tim.cole@bristol.ac.uk);
-Dr Simone Gigliotti, Royal Holloway University of London (simone.gigliotti@rhul.ac.uk).

by 31 January 2017.
Decisions will be made and all applicants contacted by 17 February 2017.