Regional Identity has long been a dynamic branch of research, to which more and more interdisciplinary approaches are finding access. Against this backdrop, the question arises whether and how regions can be described from a cultural perspective and distinguished from each other. Are region defined by certain parameters, such as state or administrative borders, the prevalence of elements of a particular material or intellectual culture, or the realms of certain linguistic interactions or other social practices? What role is played by perception and attribution, both from the outside and from within the region in question, in the process of rooting a regional identity in the collective consciousness? How can the various levels of scale be brought to bear in the comparison of regions?

The objective of the International Summer School is to draw together the current debates about regional identity and the structural elements of culture upon which regions are based. This discussion will provide a starting point for the interdisciplinary comparison of innovative PhD projects. The centre of reflection will by no means be a functional analysis of administrative or strategic regions, but rather a perspective that could best be captured in the coupling of the concepts “Region of Culture” and “Region of Identity”. Which phenomena and concepts, from history, language, academia as well as popular and high culture, can make regions tangible? And does this attempt to define correlate with the diverse aspects of identification and identity management connected to regions?

The International Summer School 2008 is interdisciplinary but does place emphasis on the study of culture. From the perspective of various academic disciplines, high-ranking scholars from Germany and abroad will shed light on current debate and lay open questions for further discussion. Proposals for PhD projects should stem from the academic fields of history, linguistics and literary studies, art history, musicology, ethnology and anthropology, but projects informed by the study of culture from other disciplines (such as Geography, Sociology and Political Science) are very welcome.

The conference languages are English and German. About a month prior to the International Summer School, a reader will be made available as a basis for discussion. The hosts will as a rule bear the expenses for travel and accommodation, as well as much of the maintenance costs. PhD students from abroad are particularly encouraged to apply. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact:
Dorothea Walter
Justus Liebig University Giessen
International Graduate Centre for the Study of Culture (GCSC)
Alter Steinbacher Weg 38
D-35394 Giessen
Germany
e-mail: dorothea.walter@gcsc.uni-giessen.de
tel: +49 641 99 300 43.