Conference Title: Who are We? Questions of Germanic Identities.
The concepts of national and linguistic identity have never been stable. Today, many English monolinguals in the US claim German identity while native German-speaking citizens question their place in German, Austrian, or Swiss society. The name “Germanic studies” seems to presuppose a shared concept of the “Germanic.” Yet, in a multicultural world, what does “German” or “Germanic” identity mean? How do we reflect the diversity of the German-speaking world in our research and teaching today?
We invite you to explore these questions at the 15th annual Germanic Graduate Student Association conference at the Ohio State University. Scholars from a range of fields are welcome to submit a 300-word abstract with the author(s) name(s), email address, preferred pronouns, university affiliation, and paper title. Please submit your abstract by Friday, March 10th to contact.ggsa.osu@gmail.com.
Potential themes include (but are not limited to): research and/or teaching methods that challenge the traditional boundaries of “Germanic” identity; (re)habilitation of subjects underrepresented in Germanic studies; changing understandings of “Germanic” identity; how “Germanic” identities are expressed and defined today; the role of Germanic Studies departments in promoting and protecting “Germanic” diversity; and so on.