Aussicht
Modern Revolutions and the Idea of Europe
Call for Papers Revolutions and rebellions have been a constant feature of the history of the modern age. Examples abound from the “Glorious” and the “Industrial” to the French and the American Revolutions; from the Haitian to the Greek Revolution and the Revolutions of 1848; from the Russian Revolution to the Mexican, the Chinese and the Iranian Revolution; from the anti-colonial uprisings of the twentieth century to the “velvet”, “rose” and “orange” revolutions of the twenty-first century. As moments of rupture and radical change, revolutions accelerate historical time, challenge existing hierarchies and mark the advent of new social, political and cultural formations and constellations; they unite and divide. Revolutions also constitute critical processes for the reconfiguration of conceptions of Europe. Ideas about Europe can be discovered at the intersection of political discourses, structures of power, geopolitical perspectives and identity projects. The history of modern revolutions offers a prime opportunity to re-examine and re-think European historical realities and recover the making of ideas about Europe in the modern age; revolutions have been central to discussions about Europe’s pasts and futures, and have shaped the continent’s political and cultural heritage. The conference focuses on modern revolutions as social, political, cultural and intellectual events, and as transformative processes. It turns a critical eye on the conceptualization of the term “revolution”. It investigates the evolving ideas, perceptions and images about Europe in the context of revolutionary politics. It explores how modern revolutions have affected discourses about Europe.
12.03.2021