Tallinn summer school for postgrads

[A.Smith]

Tallinn Summer School 2006
Tallinn Postgraduate Summer School in Social and Cultural Studies

Contested Modernities
15–-21 August 2006

Hosting institutions: Estonian Institute of Humanities, Tallinn University;
Centre for Central-Eastern Europe and the Balkans, University of Bologna

Supporters: The British Council, the City of Tallinn, the Embassy of the
United
States of America, the European Parliament, the Hungarian Institute in
Tallinn

The organisers invite M.A. and Ph.D. students to participate in the 4th
Tallinn
Summer School in Social and Cultural Studies. The course will investigate
the
phenomenon of modernity, discussing the widespread social, political,
economic
and cultural transformations that gathered momentum during the seventeenth
and
eighteenth centuries and are still in motion today. It will discuss how
radically new ideas appear, how these ideas circulate and transform existing
models of understanding one's destiny as an individual and as a collective
in
particular cultural contexts, and how these ideas are contested, changed and
re-shaped in their turn.
The very word "modern" is ambiguous - we talk about "modernising" things
when we
mean "updating" them, but "modern" and "modernity" also refer to a
particular
era, one that may be coming to an end with the onset of "post-modernity",
though
this is strongly contested. What is not in doubt is the dynamic, shifting,
unsettling quality of the modern era. The once strongly held belief that
there
is only one way of being modern, whether that is Soviet or Western, is now
being
challenged from a variety of directions. There is the gap between the US and
Europe, the rise of non-Western modernities (China, India, Brazil) and the
gulf
between economic processes and the absence of political control over them.
The thematics of modernity has a specific relevance in the Estonian context.
The
belated, rapid and in some opinion entirely rootless modernisation, which
developed in Estonia end of 19th-beginning of 20th century has turned
Estonia
into a paradigmatic debate case between leading European nationalism
scholars
(Ernest Gellner, Anthony Smith). In many ways, Estonia's fast post-Soviet
shift
to the "modern" Western modernity is an equally interesting case, as both
cultural consciousness and practices are changing fast, but certain
particular
elements of the past remain.
The Summer School analyses modernities not only in relation to political,
social
or economic spheres, but also in the realm of more subjective changes in the
way
individuals perceive their lives, as well as in the development of what we
may
describe as modern aesthetics. In order to do that, the Summer School
approaches
modernity in an inter-disciplinary framework, comprising Anthropology,
Cultural
Theory, History, Literary Theory, Philosophy, Politics, Postcolonial Studies
and
Sociology, and draws upon a range of Estonian and international specialists.

Programme (details subject to changes)

15 August
Keynote. Prof. Ágnes Heller (The New School, New York City)

16 August
Preliminary definitions. Modernity, pre-modernity, post-modernity: the
concepts.
What does it mean to be modern? The case for one universal modernity.
Modernities and modernisms.
Tutors: Prof. Bruce Knauft (Emory University, Atlanta), Prof. Mikko
Lagerspetz
(Tallinn University), Prof. Lea Rojola (University of Helsinki)

17 August
Formation of modernities. Modernity, statehood and nationhood. Do nations
have
pre-modern roots? Can one be modern without being democratic? The West and
the
rest: belated modernities, colonization and "self-colonization".
Tutors: Dr. Eva Piirimäe (Cambridge University), Prof. György Schöpflin (MEP
for
Hungary, formerly University College London)
Student workshop: Ms. Triinu Mets (Tallinn University), Ms. Piret Peiker
(Tallinn University)

18 August
Modernity: discourses and axiologies. The heritage of Enlightment:
modernity,
rationality and practical democracy. Modernity and identity, modern
subjectivity. Modernity and gender. Anti-modermity and post-modernity.
Tutors: Prof. Dorothy Hodgson (Rutgers University, New Brunswick), Prof.
Olakunle George (Brown University, Providence)

19–20 August
Models of modernity. Case studies from Africa, Asia, Eastern Europe.
Tutors: Prof. Rein Raud (Tallinn University), Mr. Alari Allik (Tallinn
University)
Student workshop: Mr. Tarmo Jüristo (Tallinn University)

21 August
The Case of Estonia. A study day in Haapsalu, a historical resort town and
the
site of the Estonian Railway Museum on the western coast of Estonia.
Tutors: Prof. Tiina Kirss (Tartu University/University of Toronto), Ms.
Anne-Liis Peterson (Tallinn University)

Practicalities

Participation
The Summer School will accept no more than 40 Doctoral or Master students.
If
the number of applicants should exceed 40, the Academic Committee of the
Summer
School will make a shortlist based on the academic background and the
geographic
and gender distribution among the applying students. The language of the
Summer
School is English. Students are expected to do (a reasonable amount of)
preparatory reading in order to participate in the Summer School. The texts
will
be announced no later than 15 June. Based upon full participation in the
study
programme and the completion of a 2500-word academic essay the students will
be
awarded 4.5 ECTS points.

Registration form
To register by e-mail, please find the registration form.
The form should be sent to Ms. Triinu Mets (trin at mets.pri.ee) or to Ms.
Anne-Liis Peterson (anneliis at ehi.ee).
To register by regular mail or by fax, please find the pdf registration form
on
the general Tallinn Summer School homepage (www.tlu.ee/summerschools). By
regular mail this form should be addressed to Ms. Anne-Liis Peterson,
Estonian
Institute of Humanities (Tallinn Summer School), Tallinn University, 5
Uus-Sadama Street, 10120 Tallinn, Estonia. By fax this form should be
addressed
to Ms. Edith Sepp, Tallinn Summer School, 25 Narva mnt, 10120 Tallinn,
Estonia.
Fax: +372 640 9118.

Registration deadline
On the rolling basis

Non-refundable registration fee
100 EUR (deadline Aug 15)

The course fee
170 EUR (deadline Aug 15)

Grants
Ten Tallinn University students and six University of Bologna students are
exempted from the course fee and pay a reduced registration fee of 35 EUR
(550
EEK) as grantees of their universities.
We are able to offer a limited number of additional grants covering the
course
fee, privileging motivated students whose home countries have fewer
opportunities to offer grants. If you wish to be considered for such a
grant,
please mention it on your registration form.
For information and advice on payment methods, accommodation, visas, etc.,
please see the general Tallinn Summer School homepage
(www.tlu.ee/summerschools).

Contact
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us:

Student Co-ordinator Ms. Triinu Mets
E-mail: trin at mets.pri.ee
Mobile phone: +372 55958560

Course Co-ordinator Ms. Anne-Liis Peterson
E-mail: anneliis at ehi.ee

Address:
Estonian Institute of Humanities
(Tallinn Summer School)
Tallinn University
5 Uus-Sadama Street
10120 Tallinn
Estonia
Phone: + 372 56637468

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