Annual Conference 2022

“Politics of pasts and futures in (post-)imperial contexts”

First annual conference of the RTG 2571 ‘Empires’ (Freiburg)

1 - 3 December 2022, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany

The conference aims to explore how references to past empires and imperiality have shaped perceptions of history and imagined futures, both in imperial and in post-imperial contexts. These include, for example, not only references to imperial foundation myths, but also stories of success and resilience during times of crisis, and uses of imperial symbolism and history to express civic, national and/or imperial identity. It also explores legacies of pre-existing empires in post-imperial political orders. In connection to imperial claims of universalism, longevity and a transcending historical significance, analyzing these temporal aspects of imperiality can serve as an important key to understanding imperial dynamics. Accordingly, markers of (imperial) temporality can be found, for example, in political discourse, but also in cultural products, social relations and religious practices.

You can download the conference flyer, poster, and booklet.

Registering is possible by sending an e-mail to conference@grk2571.uni-freiburg.de before 28 November.

The call for papers can be accessed here.