Project "The Aggressor: Self-Perception and External Perception of an Actor Between Nations"
Deutsch / English
Napoleon op een troon van mensenschedels, 1813 - 1813 - Rijksmuseum, Netherlands - Public Domain.
Project Description
The international research project "The Aggressor: Self-Perception and External Perception of an Actor Between Nations" examines images of the aggressor in European historical narratives and memory cultures. Representations of individual historical figures will be analysed in bi-national and multinational comparative studies including both victim and perpetrator perspectives. Multidisciplinary research on forms of collective identification with or against the aggressor and instrumentalizations of memory will cover three areas: academic historiography, popular media, and current political discourses. Sub-projects aim to stimulate reflection on the conflict potential of one's own national historical narrative and to promote agonistic forms of memory culture. Special attention is paid to social and digital media tools, such as computer games providing new ways of engagement with the past.
- Full project description (Unchecked DeepL translation into English)
- Press release from Heidelberg University
- Information about the project on the Daimler and Benz Foundation website
Spokesman
Prof. Dr. Thomas Maissen (Heidelberg University)
thomas.maissen@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
Other members in the scientific consortium
- Prof. Dr. Stefan Berger (Director, Institute for Social Movements, Ruhr University Bochum)
- Prof. Dr. Diana Mishkova (Director, Centre for Advanced Study, Sofia)
- Prof. Dr. Ilaria Porciani (University of Bologna)
- Prof. Dr. Balázs Trencsényi (The Central European University Democracy Institute, Budapest)
Research project management and coordination
PD Dr. Ivan Sablin (Heidelberg University); ivan.sablin@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de
Senior Scholars
- Prof. Dr. Cord Arendes (Heidelberg University)
- Prof. Dr. Florian Bieber (University of Graz)
- Prof. Dr. Frank Bösch (Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam)
- Prof. Dr. Nada Boškovska (University of Zurich)
- Prof. Dr. Alexandra Bounia (University of the Aegean, Μytilene)
- Prof. Dr. Luigi Cajani (Sapienza University of Rome)
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Cauvin (University of Luxembourg)
- Prof. Dr. Martin Conway (Balliol College, Oxford)
- Prof. Dr. Corine Defrance (SIRICE, Paris)
- Prof. Dr. Gabriella Elgenius (University of Gothenburg)
- Prof. Dr. Effi Gazi (University of the Peloponnese)
- Prof. Dr. Marja Jalava (Tampere University)
- Prof. Dr. Chris Lorenz ( Free University of Amsterdam)
- Dr. Katja Makhotina (University of Bonn)
- Dr. Andy Mycock (University of Huddersfield)
- Prof. Dr. Xosé Manoel Núñez Seixas (University of Santiago de Compostela)
- Prof. Dr. Andrii Portnov (European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
- Prof. Dr. Tanja Penter (Heidelberg University)
- Prof. Dr. Dominique Poulot (University of Paris 1)
- Ass. Prof. Dr. Erdem Sönmez (Social Sciences University of Ankara)
- Prof. Dr. Marek Tamm (Tallinn University)
Partner institutions
- Democracy Institute, Central European University, Budapest (Prof. Renata Uitz)
- House of European History, Brussels (Dr. Constanze Itzel)
- International Council of Museums (ICOM) (Prof. Dr. Emma Nardi)
- Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History, Potsdam (Prof. Dr. Frank Bösch), in cooperation with Leibniz Research Alliance "Value of the Past“
- Max Weber Foundation, Bonn (Dr. Harald Rosenbach)
- Research Training Group “Ambivalent Enmity: Dynamics of Antagonism in Asia, Europe, and the Middle East”, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG), Heidelberg University (Prof. Dr. Tanja Penter)
Call for Applications
At the Department of History of the Heidelberg University or at the Faculty of History at the Ruhr University Bochum four positions (part-time: 65%) are offered from the spring 2024 to
Doctoral students (f/m/d)
in the framework of the international research project “The Aggressor: Self-perception and External Perception of an Actor Between Nations” (sponsored by the Daimler and Benz Foundation).
The interdisciplinary project headed by Prof. Dr. Thomas Maissen is investigating the identity-forming construction of national enemy images across Europe, which are shaped by aggressors from neighboring countries. The project examines the dynamics of personalization of such enemy imagery, with special attention to concrete historical figures. As ideal types or social figures, they represent hostile groups in collective memory. It comparatively researches and systematizes the perception and interpretation of concrete enemies as aggressors based on historical case studies, focusing on their discursive construction and changing significance in the politics of memory.
Your tasks:
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Conceptualization and execution of a German- or English-language doctoral project over three years, with successful evaluation after one year
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Active participation in the further development of the project concept and in its events such as graduate seminars and workshops
Your profile:
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Above-average degree (Master's or equivalent) at the time of taking the position
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Scientifically excellent doctoral project
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Good knowledge of German or English, other language skills are welcome
We offer:
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A three-year (1+2) fixed-term contract at the university of Heidelberg or Bochum
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Coordinated promotion and supervision of the doctoral projects by several members of the project team
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Integration into the interdisciplinary and international network of leading scholars from numerous established European research institutions
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Highly motivating research environment in a strong academic team
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Participation in international conferences and opportunities for international publication of own research results
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The chance to design exciting sub-projects in the field of Public History
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Salary based on the collective bargaining agreement of the German federal states (TV-L E13, 65%)
Applications with the usual documents in German or English (cover letter, curriculum vitae, certificates, proof of language skills and professional experience, two short academic letters of reference) as well as an outline of the doctoral project (max. 20,000 characters including spaces and bibliography; details of the desired supervision and university) must be sent in full as a PDF file to: aggressorprojekt@zegk.uni-heidelberg.de . The deadline is 18 February 2024.
The selection interviews are expected to take place on 1 March 2024 via video conference.
The participating institutions stand for equal opportunities and diversity. Qualified female candidates are especially invited to apply. Persons with severe disabilities will be given preference if they are equally qualified. Information on job advertisements and the collection of personal data is available at www.uni-heidelberg.de/en/job-market
