CfA Interdisciplinary Summer School "Kaleidoscoping Europes - Questioning a Continent from Within and Without"

Call for Applications

Interdisciplinary Summer School on

KALEIDOSCOPING EUROPES – QUESTIONING A CONTINENT FROM WITHIN AND WITHOUT

Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany, 04-08 August 2025

https://kaleidoscopingeuropes.com

We invite early-career researchers from Europe and beyond to critically re-examine the continent’s

identities, histories, and global role. This programme offers workshops, keynotes, and unique cultural

experiences, creating a vibrant platform for early-career researchers to exchange ideas and 

perspectives. Thanks to the support of the Ernst Röchling Foundation, participation and

accommodation are free, with travel funding available.

Key Details

Dates: 4-8 August, 2025

Location: Saarland University, Saarbrücken, Germany

Deadline for Submissions: 24 January, 2025

Notification date: 7 February, 2025

Submission form: https://kaleidoscopingeuropes.com

Contact: summerschool-kaleidoscopingeuropes@uni-saarland.de

Application criteria: graduate / PhD student based at or supported by a research facility (university,

museum, research institution …)

Application Requirements: Please submit an abstract (max. 250 words) of your PhD project, a brief

letter of motivation stating your interest in this Summer School (max. 200 words) and a short bio

including your research interests and academic background via the website form.

External Guest Speakers 

Assoc. Prof. C. Ceyhun Arslan, Koç University, Istanbul

Gazmend Kapllani, DePaul University, Chicago, Illinois

Professor Anthony Pagden, University of California

Organisers

Evgenia Dourou, M.A. - Research Training Group “Europe”, Cluster for European Research, Saarland University

Philipp König, M.A. - Research Training Group “Europe”, Cluster for European Research Saarland University

Dr. Alexander Stoeger - Research Training Group “Europe”, Cluster for European Research Saarland University

Objectives: Kaleidoscoping Europes

Europe can be seen through a kaleidoscope of perspectives: as a former colonial power with a

legacy that continues to shape its global relationships; as a continent of vast regional diversity, with

numerous regions striving for recognition; as a political and economic powerhouse confronted with

the internal disparities among EU member states; and as a cultural entity with a rich artistic history,

yet with many of its artists and thinkers struggling to define or redefine their (non-)European identity.

Much like a kaleidoscope, Europe is one object fragmented into many interrelated parts—each view

is shaped by the position of the observer and the angle from which it is seen. And yet, the question of

one European identity persists.

At a time when Eurocentrism is being critically questioned, and global perspectives are becoming

ever more significant, it is crucial to explore Europe not as a monolithic entity but as a diverse,

contested, and evolving concept. Questioning the very notion of Europe, as well as what it means to

be European, has become a key concern across various academic disciplines. An increasing number of

scholars, spanning from literary studies to political science and sociology, now challenge established

definitions of European and non-European identity, while historians seek to reframe Europe’s role in

global history, often reshaping their understanding of history itself in the process.

This Summer School aims to critically exchange and develop modern approaches to understanding

Europe’s histories, cultures, and politics in relation to and seen from within and beyond European

borders. We seek to examine how non-European perspectives can provide new insights into

challenges Europe faces—such as cultural tension, migration, public health crises, and economic

asymmetries—issues that other regions of the world may have different perspectives on and more

experience dealing with. By turning the kaleidoscope, we want to acknowledge that the subject, the

viewer, and the instrument through which the viewer perceives the subject all play vital parts in the

image they create.

Participants of the Summer School can choose between workshops in comparative literature,

history of science and heritage, and political sciences and social studies, held by experts in their field,

each providing a distinct lens to critically examine the kaleidoscopic nature of Europe. These parallel

sessions will allow them to delve deeper into their specific fields of interest, fostering rich discussions

and generating new insights into the continent’s evolving identities and global connections.

Through these discussions, we hope to move beyond traditional, hierarchical approaches to

knowledge production, creating an interactive and experimental space where participants can

exchange ideas and build long-term research networks.

The respective research areas approach the concept of the summer school under the following

premisses:

• Comparative Literature: Contemporary literary texts often engage critically with concepts

of Europe, challenging conventional ideas and assumptions. This workshop will bring

together scholars of comparative literature to explore the question: “How do literary texts

irritate traditional notions of Europe?” Centred on the post-colonial concept of “irritating

Europe,” we will examine how literary texts construct alternative European topographies

by uncovering deep entanglements with the non-European world. Drawing upon concepts

of memory studies, we will also investigate how texts critically rewrite European archives

and histories, exposing blind spots and drawing unexpected connections between

marginalized groups and overlooked historical narratives.

• History of Science and Heritage: European narratives of superiority and idealised

knowledge movements, such as that of the Enlightenment, have shaped the continent’s

past and present understanding of science. The 19th century saw a rise in colonialism and

the birth of public exhibitions housed in impressive museum buildings, opulent World

Fairs, and private entertainment events as well as in print and academia. With the

professionalisation of natural history, Europe invented “science”, based on its traditions as

well as its construction of knowledge superiority over other systems of knowledge-gaining.

Two workshops will examine narratives of scientific cultures specifically in intercontinental

collections and their displays through the lens of colonial knowledge, to discuss the

challenges of decolonising heritage and science.

• Political Sciences and Social Studies: Group identities are deeply embedded within nation-

building theories, questions of political support and legitimacy. The field of research

benefits from the intertwined nature of approaches to political and social psychology. In

light of this, two workshops have been specifically designed. The first workshop focuses on

political science approaches to understanding the role of identity in nation-building, its

relevance for the European Union, and the reflection on social science methods. The

second workshop takes a closer look at the social psychological foundations of social

identity, its development and evolution over the past years, and reflects on experimental

ideas linked to the topic of Europe.

About the Summer School

This Summer School aims to create a space for critical, open dialogue across disciplines and

geographic boundaries by offering various formats and opportunities in the border region of Saarland.

Saarland, located at the heart of Europe near the borders of France, Luxembourg, and Belgium, boasts

a rich and dynamic history shaped by its proximity to these nations and its unique status following

World War II as a focal point of Franco-German relations and European integration. At the centre of

this vibrant interregional setting is Saarland University, a forward-thinking institution that has placed

Europe at the core of its research and teaching. Its interdisciplinary approach is exemplified by the

Cluster for European Research (CEUS), which advances cutting-edge scholarship and fosters

collaboration among renowned researchers in fields such as law, political science, human geography,

comparative literature, linguistics, history, philosophy, and theology. CEUS channels its expertise into

specialised bachelor’s and certificate programmes, providing students with direct access to cutting-

edge research and equipping them with interdisciplinary tools to critically engage with Europe’s

complexities. Building on this foundation, the Research Training Group “Europe” extends this

commitment to the next generation of scholars, nurturing PhD candidates and postdoctoral

researchers as they develop innovative approaches to the continent’s pressing questions, past and

present.

This Summer School, organised by Evgenia Dourou, Philipp König, and Alexander Stoeger—

members of the Research Training Group—provides an ideal platform for early-career researchers to

exchange ideas and expand discussions on Europe’s diverse and complex dimensions.

Two keynote lectures held by Professor Anthony Pagden (University of California) and Professor C.

Ceyhun Arslan (Koç University) will introduce the concept(s) of Europe from a historical as well as a

literary perspective, a visit to the UNESCO world heritage site Völklinger Hütte and its current

exhibition, “The True Size of Africa”, and a public reading by Gazmend Kapllani, an Albanian-born

polyglot author, journalist, and scholar, will add a variety of facets to discuss. Participants will

collaborate in thematic workshops, addressing the kaleidoscopic nature of Europe’s identity, history,

and external relationships.

We particularly encourage applications from early career researchers outside Europe as well as

from regions of the European periphery who are eager to contribute non-European or Europe-critical

perspectives to this conversation. Thanks to the financial support of the Ernst Röchling Foundation,

there are no participation or accommodation fees. We will also be able to provide support for

participants’ travel costs. To be considered for support, please provide a rough estimate of your travel

costs when applying.

For more information and the latest updates on the Summer School, please visit our website:

https://kaleidoscopingeuropes.com.

Join us as we look through the kaleidoscope to explore the multifaceted identities, histories, and

futures of Europe!