CBSS Summer University 2023 in Gdańsk

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Registration ended: 2023-06-30 23:59

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Event description

CBSS Summer University 2023

in Gdańsk, Poland

STRATEGIC NARRATIVES OF BALTICNESS

Foundations of Identity

When: 16 September – 24 September 2023
Where: Gdańsk, Poland: University of Gdańsk
How many credits: 5 ECTS
For whom: University students and PhD students within the humanities or social sciences,
and advanced high school students who:

Have an interest in the Baltic Sea Region;
Come from all corners of the world; and
Join the summer university following a successful application, with funding provided for accommodation.

By whom: The University of Gdańsk and Zatoka Foundation, in cooperation with other YoPeNET for Balticness project partners, the Council of the Baltic Sea States, and the City of Gdańsk.

Constructions of the Baltic Sea Region – what is your perspective?

Over the past thirty years numerous attempts have been made to craft compelling stories about
the Baltic Sea Region (BSR) to demonstrate its shared past, promising future, regional unity and geopolitical changes. Due to its multi-dimensionality, the BSR lends itself to diverse representations and has inspired many researchers to explore its history and heritage, environment, maritime constructions, socio-cultural developments, as well as its regional identity and security. As the notion of space is neither neutral nor naturally given, the BSR has been constructed by various stakeholders using their respective discipline- or sector-specific concepts and categorizations. These constructions are mediated by numerous narratives which shape our understanding of the world in different social fields, such as law, medicine, history writing, religious services, environmental governance and economic policy. All these phenomena are currently challenged by the recent Russian invasion of Ukraine and we will pay attention to its consequences, such as forced migration and the new identity narratives that it brings.

This summer university is for you if you wish to explore interdisciplinary academic approaches to identity and the Baltic Sea Region in general, and this year there will be a greater focus on the connections between cultural and ecological perspectives. It draws on a variety of academic disciplines including history, art, politics, rhetoric and communication studies. The summer university will not only equip you with academic competencies, but you will experience first-hand how research and knowledge creation interact with public policy on the national and supranational level. During our engaging sessions we will talk about the glue that holds people together as Baltic Sea residents as well as issues that divide them, and discuss whether it is desirable to think in terms of large geo-cultural regions. Such topics correspond particularly well with the nature of the social-ecological challenges of the 21st century, both real and imagined, material and symbolic. You will also get the chance to work together with different partners to co-create cultural texts and media projects to demonstrate your perspective on these issues.

What will you learn when participating in the programme?

This year, as ever, we aspire to reach a threshold level of “regional literacy” connected to the Baltic Sea region, but the programme will approach Balticness both in practice as well as theory. We will set sail and travel to the Hel Marine Station to experience first-hand the challenges of marine governance. Next, we will explore the power of myth, borderlines of knowledge(s), and strategies of social communication, which will give you a chance to open discursive spaces and jointly develop tools for an academic dialogue on Balticness. Then, we will navigate through the issues of migration and integration, mapping, and New Medievalism, as well as security challenges in the BSR, using narrative analysis as a compass. Finally, we will drop anchor and reflect upon identity dilemmas, the nature of boundaries in marine governance through the lens of ecocultural identity, and the students’ own narratives of Balticness. Such a theoretical and experiential journey will help you understand how identity formation works and know what kind of influences accompany these processes.

There are no registration and tuition fees. The organizers cover also the cost of lunches and some dinners. Travel expenses to and from Gdańsk must be covered by the participants.
Deadline for applications: 23 June 2023
We will inform you about the results by 1 July 2023

When you get a message about being accepted, you will have to provide:
• proof of PhD-program admission/enrolment, proof of university / high school enrolment.

Please note that if you need a visa, send your application at your earliest convenience.

Number of places: 25

Housing: can be provided free of charge in a student dormitory (indicate the need in your application)

Detailed programme and syllabus will be updated on: https://yopenet.ug.edu.pl

Event organizers: