CFP: Universitas Scholarium

 Call for Papers 

“Universitas scholarium. The social and cultural history of the European student from the Middle Ages to the Present” 

(„Universitas scholarium. Sozial- und Kulturgeschichte des europäischen Studenten vom Mittelalter bis zur Gegenwart“) 

Scientific colloquium (Pre- and Postdocs) accompanying the anniversary conference of the University of Cologne: “Back to the future? The “old” University of Cologne in the context of the history of the European university” („Zurück in die Zukunft? – Die „alte“ Kölner Universität im Kontext der europäischen Universitätsgeschichte“) 

October 24th-25th, 2013, University of Cologne, Germany 

Organization: Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Andreas Speer (Cologne), Prof. Dr. Marian Füssel (Göttingen) 

The mediaeval institution of the “universitas magistrorum et scholarium“ as a form of (self)organization of teachers and learners is the origin of the modern European universities. Despite the Reformation, Enlightenment, Humboldtian Reform and Bologna-Process, traces of the original mediaeval self-conception of “universitas” can still be found in both the contemporary higher education policies and in the daily life of today’s scholars and students. The unique development of the European university is the topic of the History of -2- 

Universities, a partial discipline of constantly growing international importance and cross-linking. 

625 years after the foundation of the “universitas studii sanctae civitatis coloniensis“ in 1388, the University of Cologne hosts a scientific conference to present and discuss the current state of research of the History of Universities. A special focus will be put on the question of how the “mediaeval” element in the history of the university developed to influence present and future challenges and perspectives of research, teaching and politics. 

The conference will be opened with a two-day colloquium primarily addressing junior researchers from the disciplines History of Universities and History of Science, but also Cultural and Social History. Topic of the colloquium is the student as the protagonist of the history of the European university. The examination of the subject is supposed to be interdisciplinary, comprise different time periods and especially focus on the European perspective. 

Possible thematic areas may include: 

-Students as individuals and as a social group in written and non-written sources 

-Student migration in the European and the extra-European context 

-Journey through life: studies, profession, career, social rise and fall 

-Student organization(s), the influence of students on research, teaching and politics 

-Conflicts, town vs. gown, student protest, authorities and repression 

-Minorities, fringe groups, foreigners and outsiders as part of the “universitas” 

-Changes and continuities in student life in the longue durèe, from social class to citizen 

We would be glad to receive proposals covering those or other relevant topics including an abstract of not more than 300 words and a significant CV until March 31st, 2013. Please send your papers to andreas.berger@uni-koeln.de. Accepted languages are German and English. Limited travel grants are possible. 

Contact/Questions: 

Andreas Berger 

University of Cologne 

Thomas-Institut 

Universitaetsstrasse 22 

50923 Cologne 

Germany 

Tel.: (+49) 0221 470 2985 

eMail: andreas.berger@uni-koeln.de