Sixth Junior Scholars Conference in Jewish History - Radicalism and Resistance in Modern Jewish History
We invite proposals for papers to be presented at the Sixth Junior Scholars Conference in Jewish History, to take place at the Institute of the History of German Jews in Hamburg in September 2019. We seek proposals specifically from postdoctoral scholars, recent PhDs as well as those in the final stages of their dissertations. The aim of the conference is to bring together a small transatlantic group of junior scholars to explore new research and questions in 19th- and 20th-century Jewish history, contextualized with work on people from other backgrounds. In the course of two days, the participants will give short presentations (20 min.) of their individual research projects and engage in discussions on sources, methodology, and theory in order to assess current and future trends in the modern history of Jews in Europe, the Americas, and beyond.
This year’s conference will focus on the topics of resistance and radicalism. We are interested in research that examines when and why Jews decided to turn to radical attitudes towards politics, society, religion, and culture; how some became activists for different political and social positions; and in which contexts their opposition turned into various forms of resistance. What circumstances and events have triggered radicalism and stirred up various forms of resistance among Jews? What measures have people employed to resist and when did they become radical or perceived as such? We would like to learn more about the socio-economic, educational, cultural, and religious backgrounds of those who resisted and how different forms of resistance were perceived within and between Jewish communities. Also, how did Jewish resistance and radicalism affect perceptions of Jews in the wider world as well as relations between Jews and others? Have certain forms of resistance or radicalism been framed as particularly Jewish, for instance? We welcome papers that investigate theoretical contemplations about resistance and radicalism in Jewish contexts as well as those that explore examples of resistance in action.