Call for Papers

The interdisciplinary Aurora summer school is a joint project of the following three doctoral programs (DP) located at the University of Innsbruck: “DP Austrian Studies”, “DP Borders, Border Shifts and Border Crossings in Language, Literature, Media”, and “DP Dynamics of Inequality and Difference in the Age of Globalization”. It will focus on the spatial dimension of culture in a wide range of disciplines, such as literature and cultural studies, history, anthropology, or linguistics. The students will discuss theoretical perspectives as well as different methodological approaches to the concept of space and place, including new sub-disciplines, as, for instance, Border Studies.

Furthermore, a part of the Aurora summer school will be dedicated to the research projects of the participants, which will be presented and discussed in small working groups and poster sessions. By creating such a collaborative environment, this summer school’s main objective is to establish networks between early career researchers and give them the opportunity to be part of the development of institutional collaborations between the Aurora partner universities.

Location: The university conference centre Obergurgl in Oetztal (Tyrol) is an ideal location for such an event. Situated in the historical landscape of the Oetztal valley, the venue represents the cultural construction of space in situ on many levels. Different excursions in this unique region (e.g. Oetztaler museums) will be part of the agenda. The centre also allows for a productive atmosphere in which students can network and exchange ideas.

Finances: There is no fee for this Aurora summer school. Organizers will try to find financial support for accommodation and travel costs.

The organizers invite PhD students in the humanities from the Aurora European universities alliance to join the Aurora summer school and to present their research projects in an international and interdisciplinary setting.

Application: Please apply with a cv and a short abstract (max. 2.000 characters) of your doctoral project, outlining its potential for interdisciplinary discussions on the cultural dimension of space. The number of students participating in the summer school is limited. In the case of more students applying than spots available, priority will be given to excellent projects whose research focus is clearly situated within the school’s thematic field. Applications are to be sent to the consultant of the summer school’s organizing team, Sarah Agath: sarah.agath@uibk.ac.at.

The registration period is expected to start on 01 March 2022.