Report 2014 - Karl-Franzens

CONTENTS
SUMMER SCHOOL TOPIC
4
PROJECT ORGANIZATION
5
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
5
DATES
6
COSTS & FUNDING
6
PARTICIPANTS
8
ACADEMIC PROGRAM
11
SOCIAL PROGRAM
12
ALUMNI-KICK OFF
12
SCHEDULE
14
SEMINARS
16
CREATIVE/ACADEMIC WRITING SEMINAR
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INTRODUCTORY LECTURE, KEYNOTE LECTURE
22
MORNING LECTURES
23
EVENING LECTURES
34
PANEL DISCUSSION
36
MORNING MEDITATION
39
STUDENTS’ REPORTS ON THE SUMMER SCHOOL
40
MEDIA REPORTS
45
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG AUF DEUTSCH
57
IMPRINT
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THANK YOU to all the people and institutions who made the Graz International Summer
School Seggau 2014 possible: the students, the lecturers, Prof. Dr. Roberta Maierhofer as
the academic coordinator, and the University of Graz and its staff of the Office of
International Relations and the Center for Inter-American Studies (C.IAS), H.E. Bishop Dr.
Egon Kapellari, Mag. Peter Rosegger and the Diocese of Graz–Seckau, Drs. Michael Kuhn
and the Commission of the Bishops‘ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE),
the dedicated collaborators of Seggau Castle, the Government of Styria, the City of Graz,
the Office of the Mayor of Graz and finally, a big thank you to our sponsors, who through
their generous contributions made it possible to put an idea into practice and make
GUSEGG 2014 once more become a reality.
WEBSITE of the GUSEGG 2014
http://international.uni-graz.at/gusegg
Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014
SUMMER SCHOOL TOPIC
Transformation and Change: Europe & Beyond
The only consistency of today's world is change. Current processes of transformation are
frequently perceived as unexpected and unpredictable. They are often triggered by the
quest of individuals and groups for self-determination, their need for cultural reassessment,
or by more mundane motives of globalized business and politics. Whatever their cause, it is
clear to all that contemporary societies are facing many challenges in their constant
transformation.
Demographic change in Europe and America has become one of the key challenges and
policy issues of our time. An ageing population, low birth rates, and changing family
structures have had an enormous impact on intergenerational relationships, the job market,
and systems of social care, but also on an individual’s definition of identity over the life
course.
At the same time, there are “others”: migrants who are trying to find their place in these
societies. Nation building processes and ever-deeper forms of economic and political
integration retrace and dilute borders, again with an unprecedented impact on the
individual as well as the collective.
The summer school will offer the possibility of examining current debates on transformation
and demography in Europe and beyond by focusing on the current challenges to established
forms of government, welfare policies and modes of transformation in a radically changed
global world, where migration and transnationalism play an important role. Focusing on the
emphasis areas of the University of Graz – South Eastern Europe and North, Central, and
South America – the summer school will provide a basis for an interdisciplinary analysis in
terms of opportunities provided and challenges faced in the past, present, and future.
Roberta Maierhofer for the Advisory Board
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PROJECT ORGANIZATION
The project was carried out by the University of Graz in cooperation with the Diocese GrazSeckau and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community
(COMECE). The Center for Inter-American Studies of the University of Graz acted as the
coordinating unit in collaboration with the Office of International Relations of the University
of Graz.
Steering Committee (operative tasks) of the Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014:
 Roberta Maierhofer, University of Graz (Academic Director of GUSEGG)
 Blaž Ploj and Ulrike Schoenbacher, University of Graz (Coordinators of GUSEGG)
 Katharina Kirchmayer, University of Graz (Representative of the Rectorate)
 Peter Rosegger (Representative of the Diocese Graz-Seckau)
 Michael Kuhn (Representative of the COMECE)
Academic Advisory Board of the Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014:
 Roberta Maierhofer, University of Graz (A)
 Soeren Keil, Canterbury Christ Church University (UK)
 Ulla Kriebernegg, University of Graz (A)
 Mirko Petrić, University of Zadar (HR)
 Luis San Vicente Portes, Montclair State University (USA)
 Manfred Prisching, University of Graz (A)
AIMS & OBJECTIVES
The interdisciplinary cooperation of lecturers and students focused on the cultural,
intellectual and historical dimensions of current European and American affairs in view of
their positioning in a globalized world. Presentations in research and teaching referred to
focus areas of the University of Graz – South Eastern Europe and North, Central and South
America. Shaping profiles of young leaders of tomorrow in different areas such as political
and social science, economics and the humanities was an important aim.
Some keywords about the Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014:
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two-week summer school
77 students and 28 lecturers
plenary sessions, lectures, 6 parallel seminar modules, excursion to Graz
discussions with lecturers and guests
accreditation via ECTS-credits (6 ECTS for participation and obligatory seminar paper)
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DATES
June 29th – July 12th, 2014
WEBSITE & VIDEO
Official Website GUSEGG 2014:
http://international.uni-graz.at/gusegg 1
GUSEGG Facebook Page:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Graz-International-Summer-SchoolSeggau/105169572852658
GUSEGG 2014 Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hq2xzJg5jmE
COSTS & FUNDING
The total costs (room and board for lecturers, external lecturers and students, honorariums
and travel expenses for teachers, technical infrastructure, excursions, and evening program)
of about € 100.000 were covered by the University of Graz, the Diocese Graz-Seckau, the
Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Community (COMECE), student
fees (€ 350/€ 400/€ 450/€ 600 Euros) and third party funding.
Grants to support our program and scholarships for individual students came from (in
alphabetical order):
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1
Arbeiterkammer Steiermark
Central European Exchange Program for University Studies (CEEPUS)
David-Herzog-Fonds (Centrum für Jüdische Studien)
Embassy of Canada in Austria, Vienna
Embassy of the United States of America in Austria, Vienna
European Network in Aging Studies
Forschungsschwerpunkt Kultur- und Deutungsgeschichte Europas
Idustriellenvereinigung Steiermark
Land Steiermark: Abteilung Kultur, Europa und Außenbeziehungen
Renovabis
Stadt Graz
Stichting Communicantes
Wirtschaftskammer Steiermark
This website has already been updated for the GUSEGG 2015. PDFs of the website 2014 are available upon request.
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PARTICIPANTS
Kushal Sanjeevkumar Agrawal, India
Edvina Bešić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Vladimir Bobu, Moldova
Irma Borovina, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Umukusyum Bulatova, Russia
Yehór Burkóv, Ukraine
Elizabeta Cebova, Macedonia
Caru Coetzee, South Africa
Krisztina Csendes, Hungary
Maria-Ana Cumpăt, Romania
Neža Ɖapo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Karolina Dejnicka, Canada
Elida Dode, Albania
Yeliena Dudko, Ukraine
Zofia Durkiewicz, Poland
Anastasia Emelyanova, Russia
Elion Gërguri, Kosovo,
Markéta Grbavčicová, Czech Republic
Ginevra Grengg, Austria
Miklós Horváth, Hungary
Tamara Jokić, Serbia
Anna Khalonina, Russia
Artem Kocharyan, Russia
Martin Kollár, Slovakia
Aleksandra Kovačević, Serbia
Amir Ihab Tharwat Kozman, Egypt
Katharina Elisabeth Kreiter, Austria
Laura Kromják, Hungary
Şebnem Kurtbörü, Turkey
Veronika Kůsová, Czech Republic
Zoran Kuzmanov, Macedonia
Sanja Lalić, Serbia
Ivana Lazaroska, USA
Szymon Adam Leszczyński, Poland
Gracia Ljaći, Croatia
Kevin Roshan Lota, France
Eva Martić, Croatia
Douglas McKnight, USA
Marek Mišák, Slovakia
Sergey Moiseenko, Russia
Kimberly Moran, USA
Milot Morina, Kosovo
Ştefan Muntean, Moldova
Arnela Mustafić, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Abdul Waseh Noerzay, Netherlands
Pirmin Ruben Olde Weghuis, Netherlands
Michal Ovádek, Slovakia
Melanie Christine Perner, Austria
Kristoffer Pint, Austria
Dunja Poleti, Serbia
Jasna Popović, Serbia
Mira Popović, Montenegro
Ana Popović, Croatia
Tijana Popovikj, Macedonia
Alexandra Reisinger, Austria
Andreas Schneider, Austria
Stefan Schneider, Austria
Katharina Schrammel, Austria
Aliaksandr Shuba, Belarus
Albina Smagina, Russia
Marija Spirkovska, Macedonia
Sonja Stanisavljević, Serbia
Sandra Štajner, Serbia
Thomas Abraham Tearney, USA
Barbora Tholtová, Slovakia
Eva-Maria Trinkaus, Austria
Demet Tufan, Turkey
Anca Elena Ursu, Italia
Cecile Van Schalkwyk, South Africa
Xheni Vasha, Albania
Svetlana Vujović, Montenegro
Nora Wenzl, Austria
Eva-Maria Wilding, Austria
Rose Winder, USA
Alexandra Wunder, Austria
Anna Maria Wyrwisz, Poland
Michaela Žabžová, Czech Republic
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Participating students came from these universities: (university and number of participating students)
Academia de Studii Economica de Moldaveii, Moldova 1
Arizona State University, USA 1
Charles University in Prague, Czech Republic 1
Dagestan State University, Russia 1
European Humanities University, Lithuania 1
Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Germany 1
Georgetown University, Washington DC, USA 1
Jagiellonian University Krakow, Poland 2
University of Graz, Austria 16
Catholic University Leuven, Belgium 1
Mendel University in Brno, Czech Republic 1
Middle East Technical Universitesy (METU), Turkey 2
National University of Kyiv-Mohyla Academy, Ukraine 2
National University of Science and Technology "MISIS", Russia 1
University of Oulu, Finnland 1
Riinvest College, Kosovo 2
Sarajevo School of Science and Technology, Bosnia and Herzegovina 1
Sardar Patel University, India 1
St. Petersburg State University, Russia 1
University of Zagreb, Croatia 3
University of Szeged, Hungary 1
Graz University of Technology, Austria 1
The City College of the City University of New York, USA 2
Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Italy 1
University of Bremen, Germany 1
Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, Romania 1
Technical University of Moldova 1
University of Strasbourg, France 1
Stellenbosch University, South Africa 2
University of Exeter, UK 1
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University of Groningen, The Netherlands 3
University of Montenegro 1
University of Pennsylvania, USA 1
University of Toronto, Canada 1
Comenius University in Bratislava, Slovakia 1
Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic 1
Ss. Cyril and Methodius University in Skopje, Macedonia 4
University of Belgrade, Serbia 4
University of Novi Sad, Serbia 3
University of Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2
University of Tirana, Albania 2
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ACADEMIC PROGRAM
Morning Meditation (8.30 am – 9.00 am)
Every morning, meditation sessions led by Drs. Michael Kuhn provided spiritual guidance for
the students and lecturers.
Morning Lectures (9.00 am – 12.30 pm)
Guest lecturers and selected lecturers teaching in the afternoon seminars also presented
morning lectures during the week. All students attended the morning lectures; thus, the
topic of these lectures was directed towards a general audience, following the overall
summer school theme of Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond. In order to
implement different styles of instruction in the discussion period following a 15 minute
break, the organizers introduced numerous models of structuring this period – some of the
periods were open plenary discussions, others were inspired by pre-formulated questions
from the lecturers, and on other mornings students were asked to formulate questions for
the speakers in dedicated groups.
Creative Writing (1.30 pm – 3.00 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
This year, eight excellent students taking part in the GUSEGG had the opportunity to
participate in a Creative Writing workshop led by renowned author and University of Texas
at Austin professor Rolando Hinojosa-Smith.
Academic Writing (1.30 pm – 3.00 pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday)
Nineteen students, apart from their obligatory seminar modules, decided to participate in an
Academic Writing Workshop led by Marta Cerezo Moreno (National University of Distance
Education (UNED), Spain) and Peter Goggin (Arizona State University, USA) in the first week
and Maureen Goggin and James Blasingame (both Arizona State University) in the second
week.
Seminars (3.00 pm – 6.00 pm)
According to their interest, students ranked the following six seminar modules on their
application and were selected to participate in accordance with their application materials.
Seminar 01 - Politics & Law
Seminar 02 - Media, Society & Culture
Seminar 03 - Ethics, Religion & Economics
Seminar 04 - Rhetorics of Transformation
Seminar 05 - Literature of Transformation
Seminar 06 - Aging and Demographic Change
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SOCIAL PROGRAM
Besides the morning lectures, creative and academic writing, the afternoon seminars,
morning meditation and evening events, students went on a one-day excursion to Graz, the
capital city of the province of Styria. The trip took place on Saturday, July 5th and included a
visit to the University of Graz, a reception at the office of Mayor Mag. Siegfried Nagl,
sightseeing through Graz and also time to stroll around within the unique city of Graz.
The social program furthermore included a guided tour through Seggau Castle, in which the
historical importance of the bishop seat was related to students and lecturers.
In lecture free periods students were further able to utilize the outdoor swimming pool at
the venue. Volleyball, table tennis, and soccer tournaments were organized and the winners
awarded with prizes. Furthermore, movie nights, a karaoke evening and evening discussions
took place and the opening ceremony included a wine tasting in Seggau Castle’s historic
wine cellar, famous for its excellent local wine.
ALUMNI-KICK OFF
On Wednesday July 9th the Alumni
Chapter of the University of Graz
“International Summer School Seggau”
was inaugurated in Seggau Castle’s
historic wine cellar. The Alumni chapter
was created in order to tighten the
bonds of friendship formed during the
two weeks in Seggau and to establish
opportunities to continue debates,
discussions and conversations beyond
the Summer School. At the Alumni KickOff event students met former GUSEGG
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participants, who managed to come to Seggau. They all received their Alumni Uni Graz
membership cards from the head of the Fundraising & Alumni department, Beatrice Weinelt,
and the leaders of the Alumni Chapter, Roberta Maierhofer and Peter Rosegger.
Furthermore the new Alumni Uni Graz members were delighted in receiving symbolic gifts
from the Rector’s Office and they had the opportunity to learn some basic facts about the
history of the wine cellar during a short presentation. Following the presentation, inaugural
speeches were held by Beatrice Weinelt, Roberta Maierhofer, Michael Kuhn and Lonnie
Johnson, the Executive Director of the Austrian-American Educational Commission.
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SEMINARS
Students participated in one of the following six seminar modules in the afternoon.
Seminar 1 – Politics & Law
Week 1: "Transforming the Western Balkans and Turkey" – Robert Austin
Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia
and Turkey are inching slowly towards membership
in the European Union. For some countries, the
pace has quickened, for others, a dangerous status
quo has set it. The seminar sought to explore, in a
thematic way, what has been accomplished until
now and what remains to be done to bring stability
to the region. It looked at several key components
of the EU’s transformation agenda in the region:
Multi-ethnicity; Democratization; and Rule of Law.
The goal of the seminar was to identify areas of
success and point to the challenges ahead.
Week 2: "Economic Developments and Challenges of the European Union"– Stefan Storr
In this seminar the development of the
economic integration was analyzed: from its
beginnings to the founding of the Internal
Market and its todays condition. And the future
challenges were discussed. Special attention to
the “evolution” of the status of EU- and NonEU-citizens and -companies (fundamental
freedoms, fundamental rights, principle of nondiscrimination, directive on services, social
security) was given, ascertain steps taken and
upcoming for deepening the European
Integration and (trade) relationships between EU and other states (i.e. free trade
agreements) and the processes of transformation and chance in economies, societies and
states were discussed.
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Seminar 2 – Media, Society & Culture
Week 1: "From Public Sphere to Public Relations" – Mirko Petrić
This course dealt with the ways new technologies
have changed the nature of political participation,
especially in the segment that concerns the
traditionally conceived role of the public sphere.
Classical views on the topic, such as Habermas's or
Fraser's, were contrasted with current critical
reflections, emerging in the context of increasingly
privatized ownership and consumption patterns.
Week 2: "New Media, Social Media: Networked Society and the Public Sphere(s)" – Krešimir
Krolo
In the second week, the seminar dealt with challenges
and opportunities that digital interactive media have for
public sphere(s). Main question revolved around the idea
whether new media provide opportunities for
development of broader participatory culture or are we
witnessing a collapse of democratic potentials for
contemporary societies. For that purpose focus was
oriented towards trends in usage of new media with
information gathering and production via social media
and social networks. Understanding the communication and transformations of participatory
practices in digital interactive context was connected with ongoing online and offline citizen
activism in the world.
Seminar 3 – Ethics, Religion & Economics
Week 1+2: "Poverty, Inequality, and the Moral Limits of the Market" – Luis San Vicente
Portes
This seminar presented the topic of ‘inequality’ as a
multi-dimensional intellectual, social, political,
economic, and even religious endeavour. Where does
it come from? What are all the voices saying? But most
importantly, how can we build an impartial conceptual
platform to address this trend. The Catholic Church’s
pronunciation on inequality in Evangelii Gaudium and
the international success of the book Capital in the
21st Century highlights the world’s interest in the
topic.
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Seminar 4 – Rhetorics of Transformation
Week 1: "Transformations of Citizenship in Southeastern Europe" – Jelena Džankić
Citizenship is the link between an individual and
the state. It grants the individuals the rights in a
particular state and also implies their duties
towards that state, while also denoting how the
individuals feel towards the state. In a nutshell, this
module explored the transformation of the notion
of citizenship in the post-communist states in
Southeastern Europe. By looking at the rhetoric
and practice of citizenship in this region, students
learnt more about the dynamics of inclusion and exclusion, as well as about the
transformation of societies at the margins of Europe.
Week 2: "Rhetoric(s) of Radical Transformation" – David Bates
Slavoj Žižek has remarked that “it is easier to
imagine the end of the world than it is to
imagine the end of capitalism”. Yet, following
the 2008 financial crisis, we have seen a revival
of rhetoric(s) of radical social transformation, be
it Occupy on the Left, or the ‘Tea Party’ on the
right. This session looked at the social,
philosophical and crucially rhetorical basis of
these and other such “movements”. To what
extent are the visions which they embody
workable? Can we imagine a new utopian discourse beyond the horizons of current neoliberal hegemony? Is the present all we can look forward to in the future?
Seminar 5 – Literature of Transformation
Week 1: "The Times They Are A-Changin" –
Roberta Maierhofer
Since the 1980s, scholars in the field of
cultural gerontology have turned to cultural
manifestations to investigate ideas about
the meaning of identity within the life
course, and discuss models of aging
presented in literature, art, and film. Within
the interplay between the fields of sciences
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and humanities, textual representations are important sources that contribute towards
understanding the concepts of time and experience within the many contexts in which a
person moves over the duration of a life. Tracing reactions to personal crises and turning
points as expressed in cultural representations provides researchers with unique insights
into the way individuals construct their lives. If identity is defined by both continuity and
change over a life course, the importance is to not only narrate one’s life, but also interpret
the traces of these narrations in an on-going process of dialogue not only between cultural
representation and the interpretations of these, between generations to establish an
intergenerational discourse, but also between the various disciplines to charter an
interdisciplinary approach to time and experience. Whereas on the public level these stories
communicate the significance of particular lives and communities for society as a whole, on
the individual level the telling of stories is a medium for the integration of lives, for
explaining transformation and change.
Week 2: "Departures and Arrivals: 19th and 20th Century Narratives of Transatlantic Jewish
Migration" – Ulla Kriebernegg and Gerald Lamprecht
"Give me your tired, your poor"... For many
people, Emma Lazarus' famous poem on the
pedestal of the Statue of Liberty signaled the
United States' welcoming attitude towards
immigration. For many European Jews, leaving
Europe was the only hope they had – and
where they went was often less important than
the fact that they could leave at all. In this
team-taught interdisciplinary seminar, the
group talked about Jewish narratives of
departures and arrivals and discussed how
European Jewish migrants have narrated their
migration experiences. The historical background of Jewish migrations was discussed as well
as concepts of migration theory (acculturation, assimilation, the melting pot, the salad bowl,
imagined community, third space...) and how these concepts can be used when analyzing
fictional accounts of Jewish transatlantic migration were explored. How did European Jews
imagine America, and what did they expect? Which hopes were fulfilled in "the promised
land," and which were disappointed? How did Jewish immigrants renegotiate their cultural,
social, and religious identities in the US, and how did this renegotiation transform and
change US American society? A wide range of sources including historiography, poetry,
fiction, autobiography, and film was discussed in order to explore the historical, social, and
cultural contexts of Jewish identities in the United States. Class materials included (excerpts
of) Joseph Roth's The Wandering Jews, Abraham Cahan's Yekl, Anzia Yezierska's America and
I, the movie Hester Street and others.
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Seminar 6 – Aging and Demographic Change
Week 1: "We are old, we are young, we are in this together": Cultural Representations of
Aging and the Life Course – Ulla Kriebernegg
As baby boomers have recently started to reach
retirement age and the “Silver Tsunami” is allegedly
threatening our economies, a new rhetoric of crisis
makes it necessary to reconsider cultural
constructions of aging and old age. Taking into
account that narratives of aging “have become
increasingly recognized as lending important insights
to gerontological knowledge” (Zeilig 2011), the aim in
this course was to bridge the gap between
gerontology and literary criticism. From this perspective, the seminar looked at
representations of aging and old age in US-American and Canadian literature and film and
discussed how critical analyses of cultural representations can contribute to theorizing the
function of age in the construction of identity. Using two lenses, a theoretical (critical essays
and reflections) and an aesthetic (a diverse range of literary forms, films, and media), what it
means to be “aged by culture” was discussed.
Week 2: "Ageing today: at any price? At what price? Some ethical challenges seen from an
interdisciplinary perspective." – Marie Jo Thiel
In our European societies, people become older, but do they feel well? The life expectancy
grows but what about quality of life in East and West
Europe? The seminar tackled with issues related to
the current demographic change through some focal
points such as anti-ageing cultures, the complexity to
assess the situation of those with disabilities and
especially dementia, the sociologic and ethical
challenges related to the situation of elderly in
secularized societies where vulnerability, fragility
could potentially been evaluated as "unbearable"
suffering...
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CREATIVE WRITING SEMINAR
The creative writing workshop took place three times every week and the ten nominated
students also had the chance to work with Prof. Hinojosa-Smith on an individual basis. The
selection of participants was based on writing samples submitted prior to the summer
school.
Rolando Hinojosa-Smith is the Ellen Clayton Garwood Professor at the University of Texas at
Austin, USA, and one of the most prolific and wellrespected Hispanic novelists in the United States.
Not only has he created memorable Mexican
American and white characters, but he has
completely populated a fictional county in the lower
Rio Grande Valley of Texas through his continuing
generational narrative that he calls the Klail City
Death Trip Series. The first Chicano author to receive
a major international literary award, Rolando
Hinojosa won the prestigious Premio Casa de las
Américas for Klail City y sus alrededores (Klail City), part of a series of novels known to
English-speaking readers as The Klail City Death Trip. Hinojosa's fiction, often infused with
satire or subtle humor, is widely praised for its multiple narratives that unite many
characters' individual perspectives into the unique combined voice of the Chicano people.
Hinojosa has also produced essays, poetry, and a detective novel titled Partners in Crime.
ACADEMIC WRITING SEMINAR
Parallel to the creative writing seminar, the academic writing workshop took place under the
lead of Prof. Marta Cerezo Moreno (Spanish Distance Learning University (UNED)) and Prof.
Peter Goggin (Arizona State University, USA) in the first week and Prof. Maureen Goggin and
Prof. James Blasingame (both Arizona State University, USA) in the second week. Similar to
the creative writing workshop, participants were selected on a basis of seminar paper
samples submitted prior to the summer school.
In the first week, a context-based introduction to theories that inform the study of written
communication for academic purposes was made, followed by an introduction to literacy
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theory, professional discourse and knowledge construction. Students dealt with framing
academic discourse and with disciplinary and interdisciplinary literacies. At the end of the
first week they coped with the task of finding a good seminar paper topic and defining the
question (thesis/hypothesis).
The classes in the second week introduced students to the nature of academic writing and
the seminar paper, the research on and practice of writing academic introductions, and the
research on and practice of using citations. Students had an opportunity to work on
developing a topic and a plan for their seminar paper.
INTRODUCTORY LECTURE
Roberta Maierhofer: Transformation and Change
Roberta Maierhofer is Professor at the Department
of American Studies of the University of Graz,
Austria, and Adjunct Professor at Binghamton
University, New York. Her research focuses on
American Literature and Cultural Studies, Gender
Studies, Transatlantic Cooperation in Education,
Inter-American Studies, and Age/Aging Studies. She
holds a master's and a doctoral degree from the
University of Graz, as well as an M.A. degree in
Comparative Literature from SUNY Binghamton. In her publication, Salty Old Women:
Gender and Aging in American Culture, she developed a theoretical approach to gender and
aging (anocriticism). She was elected Vice Rector for International Relations in 1999, and
then served as Vice Rector for International Relations and Affirmative Action for Women
(2003-2007), and as Vice Rector for International Relations and Interdisciplinary Cooperation
(2007-2011). Since 2007, she has been directing the Center for Inter-American Studies of the
University of Graz.
At the beginning of the academic program, as an overture to the study activities, Roberta
Maierhofer gave an introductory lecture based on the topic of the summer school. As stated
in the introductory remarks: in today’s world, where processes of transformation are
frequently perceived as unexpected and unpredictable, the only consistency is change.
KEYNOTE LECTURE
Liliane WEISSBERG: Transformations and Conversions: History, Religion, and the Birth of
Psychoanalysis in Fin-de-Siecle Vienna
Liliane Weissberg is Christopher H. Browne Distinguished
Professor at the University of Pennsylvania. She is a member
of the Jewish Studies Program, the Art History Graduate
Group, the English Graduate Group, the Program in Visual
Studies, the Program in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's
Studies, and the Graduate Group in Religious Studies. Liliane
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Weissberg's interests focus on late eighteenth-century to early twentieth-century German
literature and philosophy. Her work focuses on German, European, and American
Romanticism, but she has also written on the notion of representation in realism, on
photography, and on literary and feminist theory.
The lecture focused on the transformation
of the city of Vienna in the second half of
the nineteenth century, the immigration
of Jews to Vienna and the importance of
religion during this period, and Freud's
biography. Liliane Weissberg showed how
all of this contributed to determine
Freud's invention of a scientific vocabulary
for his newly defined discipline of
psychoanalysis.
MORNING LECTURES
Patrick MCNAMARA: Mexico's Old Regime and the Independence Celebrations of 1910
Patrick J. McNamara is Associate Professor of Latin
American History at the University of Minnesota and Guest
Professor at the Institute of History, University of Graz. He
is the author of Sons of the Sierra: Juárez, Díaz, and the
People of Ixtlán, Oaxaca, 1855-1920 (2007), and other
articles dealing with 19th and 20th century Mexico. His
current research examines Memory Studies, aesthetic
theory, and performance in Mexico. He also does research
on the violence currently taking place in Mexico around the
so-called war on drugs.
During his lecture Patrick McNamara argued that the 1910 Centennial in Mexico was the
highpoint of nation-state celebrations. US and French centennials were precursors, and after
1910 the out break of the Mexican Revolution, WWI, then WWII, and then the Cold War
fundamentally altered the structure of nation-states, giving way to regional alliances and
neo-colonial interventions. Now, in the era of neo-liberalism, national identity has changed,
losing much of its political meaning and indicating primarily which team one cheers for in the
World Cup. Citizens of the 20th century have become consumers in the 21st – goods cross
borders but it is increasingly more difficult for people to move permanently. So Mexico's
1910 Centennial and the mobilization of its citizens represents the end of one era, the 19th
century state, and the beginning of another – the century of global violence. Capitalism
seems to drive state structures and the nation-state itself is always a human creation, with
its own history, and constantly undergoing transformation-the only certainty is change.
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Marta CEREZO MORENO: The Trace of Age and Memory in Contemporary Narrative
Marta Cerezo Moreno is Lecturer of English at the Spanish
Distance Learning University (UNED). Her main areas of
interest and main publications focus, first, on contemporary
English narrative in relation to Gender Studies, Literary
Gerontology and Disability Studies, and, second, on Early
modern British Literature, especially Shakespearean drama.
She has published articles on works by A.S. Byatt, John Updike
and Margaret Atwood and also on Chaucer, Shakespeare, and
the tragic hero on the Elizabethan stage. She has published
two books about medieval and renaissance literature and criticism. Her current research
concerns both the presence of aging and disability in the works of John Banville and the
commemorative acts of Shakespeare’s Quartercentenary.
By drawing on concepts such as Paul Ricoeur’s differentiation between same (idem) and selfsame (ipse) as inserted within his conceptualization of narrative identity and
Freud’s principal of afterwardness, this presentation dealt with the way John Banville’s last
novel, Ancient Light (2012), shows how mnemonic reconstructions and revisions of past
experiences during old age evidence
how the constitution of the self is
always provisional as it proves to be
subject to a continuous process in
constant change. Banville reflects on
how experience and knowledge during
late stages of the life course imply a
revision of memory traces that
establish new relations between past
and present selves. The protagonist’s
negotiation with his memory’s
mechanism for the retrieval of the past
results in the construction of an account of the past full of “improbabilities” and “anomalies”
(30) made out of disparate parts that must be assembled. This process of piecing together
what memory brings to our minds serves Banville to open a debate on the nature of our
inner selves and the essence of the Other and also of the relationship between age and the
recollection of the past.
Luis SAN VICENTE PORTES: Tell me where you live and I’ll tell you
who you are (on average)
Luis San Vicente Portes is an Associate Professor at the
Department of Economics and Finance at Montclair State
University. He joined MSU in the fall of 2005 after the completion
of his doctoral degree at Georgetown University. He earned his
bachelor's degree at the Instituto Tecnologico Autonomo de
Mexico (ITAM), holds diplomas in Business Development and
Administration from ITAM, and on the Economics of the European
Union awarded by the London School of Economics. Dr. San
24
Vicente Portes has worked as a consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank and for
the World Bank in Washington, DC; and full-time for the Ministry of Finance and Petroleos
Mexicanos in Mexico.
At MSU Dr. San Vicente Portes’ teaching
responsibilities include undergraduate courses in
macroeconomics, international economics, and
development. He also teaches economic
development and macroeconomics at Montclair’s
MBA program. He has also taught at ITAM (Mexico),
Georgetown University (USA), the University of Graz
(Austria), and was a lecturer of international
business in the Executive MBA program at Rutgers
University (USA).
The goal of this lecture was to introduce students to the concepts and to the notion of
economic development. There is large variation in income levels across countries that shape
daily lives and ultimately identities.
Uncovering why such differences exist and
how they change over time, are essential
for understanding cultures, politics and
societies; and how at the individual level,
art, literature, and beliefs are shaped in
turn. Unveiling and measuring countries’
drivers of economic performance ought to
provide a lens through which students will
be able to reveal such invisible threads.
Peter GOGGIN: Islands: Places and Ecologies in Flux in Seas of Global Transformation.
Peter Goggin is Associate Professor of English (Rhetoric) at Arizona State University where he
studies and teaches theories of literacy, environmental rhetoric, and sustainability. He is the
editor of Environmental Rhetoric and Ecologies of Place (2013), Rhetorics, Literacies, and
Narratives of Sustainability (2009) and author of Professing Literacy in Composition Studies
(2008). His articles on literacies of
sustainability, environmental rhetoric, and
environmental discourse, rhetoric, and
writing include publication in Composition
Studies, Community Literacy Journal, and
Computers and Composition. He is a Senior
Scholar with ASU’s Global Institute of
Sustainability, and his current research
includes the study of rhetorics and
discourses
of
sustainability
and
globalization in oceanic islands. In addition
to Arizona he has taught graduate and undergraduate courses and seminars in Romania,
China, Bermuda, Boston, Pittsburgh, and Austria. He is founder and codirector of the annual
25
Western States Rhetoric and Literacy
conference, which features themes on
sustainability, culture, transnationality, and
place. He has also given public
presentations on Zombies and Rhetoric.
Peter Goggin’s lecture focused primarily on
oceanic island locales as rhetorical and
material places/spaces for examining
complexities and discursive constructions of
sustainability and global complexity.
Jelena DŽANKIĆ: (EU) Citizenship with a Price Tag?
As of September 2013, Jelena Džankić is a Marie Curie Fellow at the European University
Institute (EUI), where she previously worked as a Jean Monnet fellow for two years.
Although her current position does not formally involve teaching, she has previously taught
courses in ‘International Organisations and Development’ at the University of Cambridge,
‘Comparative Political Analysis’ at University College London, and ‘European Integration:
dynamics and development’ at Tsuda College Tokyo. In
addition to this, she has taught at numerous summer
schools (e.g. NICLAS Bratislava 2013), and guest lectured
at several universities in the UK. After completing her
doctorate at the University of Cambridge in 2009 and
before coming to the EUI, Jelena was part of the CITSEE
team at the University of Edinburgh where she explored
the transformation of citizenship in the post-Yugoslav
states. She has published several book chapters and
articles on the politics of the Balkan region.
The spread of the global economic crisis enticed many countries to consider attracting
investors to become their citizens. The mushrooming of investor programs, which permit
rich individuals to gain residence in the underlying countries and eventually access their
citizenship, has become a mechanism of securing an infusion of capital into the struggling
economies. The lecture first looked at the relationship between the notion of citizenship and
the different types of preferential naturalization of investors: naturalization through
residence, discretionary naturalization, and detailed investor citizenship programs. In order
to examine whether the economic utility of the investment to the state can suffice to
override some or all other criteria for
naturalization, legal and normative dimensions of
the notion of “genuine ties” were explored
questioning whether preferential treatment of
investors can be justified in the context of meritbased naturalization. In the second part of the
lecture, the focus was on classifying investmentbased citizenship and residence programs in all
the 28 European Union (EU) Member States, and
26
on discussing the implications of investor citizenship and residence programs on the notion
of EU citizenship. Starting from a brief theoretical examination of membership in national
and supranational polities, Jelena Džankić compared how different countries regulate access
to membership on grounds of wealth.
Robert AUSTIN: Assessing the State of the State in the Western Balkans
Robert Clegg Austin is a specialist on East Central and
Southeastern Europe in historic and contemporary
perspective. In the past, Dr. Austin was a Tirana-based
correspondent of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty; a
Slovak-based correspondent with The Economist Group
of Publications; and a news writer with the Canadian
Broadcasting Corporation in Toronto. Austin has written
articles for The Globe and Mail, The Toronto Star, Orbis,
East European Politics and Societies and East European
Quarterly along with numerous book chapters. He now
teaches at the Centre for European, Russian and Eurasian Studies at the Munk School of
Global Affairs at the University of Toronto and coordinates the Undergraduate Program in
European Studies and the Hungarian Studies Program.
The lecture focused on the three states where international peace treaties are in place Bosnia, Kosovo and Macedonia. Common features and challenges were examined and the
impact of agreements in terms of fostering Euro-Atlantic integration assessed. Of particular
importance were the challenges for Bosnia in shaping a new constitution, the name issue
with Macedonia and the relationship between Serbia and Kosovo.
Manfred PRISCHING: Demographic Shifts: Crisis, Collapse, Challenge?
Prof. Manfred Prisching studied law and economics and thereafter became an assistant
professor at the Departments of the Philosophy of Law, of Economics, and of Sociology at
the University of Graz. In 1985, he obtained his
habilitation in sociology. He received numerous awards
such as the Innitzer Award 1985, the Krainer Award
1994, and the Haslauer Award 1996. He was a research
fellow and guest professor at the Rijksuniversiteit
Limburg (Maastricht, NL), at Harvard University (Boston),
at the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, at the
University of Arkansas at Little Rock and the University
of Nevada at Las Vegas as well as at several Austrian universities. During 1997-2001, he was
Rector of the University of Applied Sciences (FH Joanneum) in Graz. Prof. Manfred Prisching
is member of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
27
This lecture focused on demographic shifts and their
consequences: the normality of change, the crises
caused by unexpected and unpredictable changes as
well as possible collapses. Challenges of an aging
society in an epoch of economic decline were
discussed and plausible future scenarios unveiled.
During his talk, Manfred Prisching addressed several
questions concerning the European society at the
beginning of the 21st century. Can the demographic
changes be processed within the framework of present European values, or do we have to
expect additional conflicts or crises? Is some kind of "clash of civilizations" really probable?
Why should not a smooth process of integration of different cultures be more plausible than
an essential shift in cultural accents or a process of polarization carried by different ethnic
and age groups?
Mirko PETRIĆ: Broadsheet, Mid-Market, no Market: the 'Death of Newspapers' and the
New Public Sphere
Mirko Petrić is Senior Lecturer in media and cultural
theory at the Department of Sociology, University of
Zadar. Prior to working as a university lecturer, he
worked as a journalist and copy editor. In spite of
his current academic preoccupations, he has never
ceased contributing articles and opinion columns to
various print media. He is also an active member of
civil society, who has initiated or helped organize
several digital media campaigns.
The lecture was given as a contribution of the Media Society and Culture module to the
general topic of the summer school (Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond).
Issues dealt with in the module (the notion of the public sphere and the role of the “old” and
“new” media in its functioning) were concisely presented by means of the focusing on the
destiny of the “legacy medium” of the newspapers in contemporary context. Issues such as
the rise of sensationalism, new hybrid modes of “monetization” of the media content, and
the potential of the digital interactive media to serve as a platform for the emergence of the
new public sphere were outlined, followed by a lively question and answer period.
Christian CWIK: The Caribbean in the Eve of the First
World War
Christian Cwik has been the lecturer for European and
Atlantic History at the University of the West Indies in
St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago since 2013. He has
held positions in Caribbean and Latin American History
at the University of Cologne, Germany and further
28
positions at the University of Vienna and the University of Graz in Austria. He has held
visiting positions at Dresden University in Germany, the Pablo Olavide University in Seville,
Spain, the Havana University in Cuba as well as at Cartagena University in Colombia and the
Bolivarian University in Venezuela. His expertise lies in Atlantic, Caribbean and Latin
American history.
This lecture showed that since the beginning of the 20th century, political conflicts
determined the relationships between the German Empire and the USA, and the Caribbean
became one of the scenes of these conflicts followed by World War I. General reasons were
the imperial policy, increased German investments, the submarine warfare and the US
economic interests.
Heinz D. KURZ: Adam Smith on Markets, Competition and Violations of Natural Liberty
Heinz D. Kurz is Professor of Economics at the University of
Graz and director of the Graz Schumpeter Centre. After
receiving his PhD from the University of Kiel he was Visiting
Fellow at the Wolfson College, Cambridge, Associate and
Assistant Professor of Economics at the University of Kiel,
Professor at the University of Bremen, where he was also
Dean of the Faculty from 1981 to 1982 and from 1983 to
1985, and Theodor Heuss Professor at the Graduate Faculty
of the New School for Social Research, New York. He was
Visiting Professor in Rome, Pisa, Paris, Nice, Cambridge,
Leicester, Mexico City, New York, Brasilia, Seoul and Tokyo.
Heinz D. Kurz received numerous awards such as the Academic Price of the ChristianAlbrechts-Universität Kiel, the Main Research Prize of Styria and the "Wilhelm-Hartel-Preis",
awarded by the Austrian Academy of Sciences.
In his morning lecture, Heinz D. Kurz argued that markets and trade are, in principle, good
things – provided there is competition. But competition is always in danger of being
undermined and eroded, giving way
to monopolies which are very
comfortable and highly profitable to
monopolists and may spell great
trouble for many people. In Smith’s
view Political Economy – as an
important and perhaps even the most
important part of a kind of master
political science, encompassing the
science of the legislator – has the task
to fight superstition and false beliefs
in matters of economic policy, to
debunk opinions that present individual interests as promoting the general good, and to
propose a regulatory framework for markets and institutions that helps to ward off threats
to the security of the society as a whole and provide incentives such that self-seeking
29
behavior has also socially beneficial effects. The lecture showed that the ideas of Adam
Smith still may resonate and illuminate problems of today and theories, which try to tackle
them.
David BATES: Occupy in Theory and Practice
David Bates is Principal Lecturer in Politics and International Relations at Canterbury Christ
Church University. His research interests encompass a number of key areas, such as
contemporary radical political thought, particularly post-Marxism and anticapitalism/antiglobalisation (his recent work has dealt specifically
with the work of Antonio Gramsci, Ernesto Laclau and
Chantal Mouffe and Michael Hardt and Antonio Negri),
issues of political participation, specifically though not
exclusively in liberal democratic societies, and in
particular how active political engagement might be
encouraged, and the political role of 'the intellectual' in
contemporary societies, both in terms of political
philosophy, and the relationship with wider
movements of social change.
The Occupy Movement emerged in late
2011, and appeared to assume the status
of a global phenomenon. Though there
has been an extensive commentary in the
popular media who have deemed Occupy
to be the latest wave of anti-capitalist
mobilisation, there has yet to be a
comprehensive in-depth theoretically
informed comparative analysis of this
movement. The lecture was based on a
theoretically informed empirical analysis of
the ‘official’ publications of the Occupy Movement, in Wall Street and London.
Operationalising core concepts from the framing perspective within social movement theory
(Snow and Benford, 1987), David Bates analyzed the strategic frames of these movements
and then situated these frames within a broader macro-theoretical context of radical social
movement traditions – from classical Marxism to post-Marxism and post-Anarchism.
Luis SAN VICENTE PORTES: Inequality: “Talk about multidimensionality, huh?”
This lecture presented the topic of ‘inequality’ as a multi-dimensional
intellectual, social, political, economic, and even religious endeavor.
Where does it come from? What are all the voices saying? But most
importantly, how can we build an impartial conceptual platform to
address this trend. The Catholic Church’s pronunciation on inequality in
30
Evangelii Gaudium and the international success of the book Capital in the 21st Century
highlights the world’s interest in the topic. Luis San Vicente Portes juxtaposed a great
example of scholarly research and the possibility to reflect on policy, ideology, and facts.
Stefan STORR: Participating political life in the EU
Stefan Storr studied law in Heidelberg and Munich,
graduated in Jena (doctorate and postdoctoral
qualification) and has taught as a professor at the
universities of Munich and Dresden. Since 2008 he is a
professor for Public Law and Economic Law at the KarlFranzens-Universität Graz, Institute for Public, European
and Comparative Public Law, Political Science and Public
Administration. His research fields are German and
Austrian constitutional and administrative law, law of the
EU and public economic law.
The lecture gave an overview about possibilities for EU citizens to participate in political life
in other Member States and in the EU. Major aspects were the EU doctrine of democracy
and political rights in relation to EU citizenship like the right to vote to the European
Parliament and the right to support a citizens’ initiative. The lecture also focused current
challenges like the prevention of double voting.
Peter TEIBENBACHER: Where are all the Babies Gone?
Peter Teibenbacher is a Professor at the History
Department of the University of Graz, where he teaches
“Regional History”, “Historical Statistics”, “New Media for
Historians”, “Historical Demographics” and “Social and
Economic History”. He is the author and co-author of
multiple scientific articles and books like: Einführung ins
historische Forschen – Geschichte der Wohnheime der
Stadt Graz und ihrer BewohnerInnen, Central Europe
Population History During The First Demographic
Transition, Vol. 1 and The Art of Communication, just to mention a few. Professor
Teibenbacher has been awarded the “Theodor-Körner-Award” in 1984, the “LeopoldKunschak-Award” in 2001 and the “Alpen-Adria-Award” in 2001.
Former centuries are considered as high-fertility times, just in opposite to the last 100 years.
Yet we can see that fertility always was dependent on several external and internal factors.
In former, pre-modern times, fertility was shrinked and threatened by plagues, wars and
famine crisis, but less by parental income in an overall view. In modern times increased
parental aspirations in living standards, concerning their own life and that of their children
are causing a lower fertility. Especially more western countries (Europe and the European
offsprings, but also Japan) experienced a turn from higher to low fertility since the outgoing
31
19th century. We call it the 1st Demographic Transition or the quantity-quality turn: Higher
aspirations require more capital and therefore it would be better, to invest more capital in
less children than to dilute (limited) capital among more children. Other countries, especially
African and Asian, but also Latin American ones, stayed at a high level and started to decline
their fertility in the 1960ies or even later; yet a stronger, parallel decrease in mortality
generated a striking population growth. From a global view we can divide the world in two
areas, one threatened by an “implosion” and another, facing an “explosion”. The first are
complaining a too low reproduction level (workforce!), the other crowds of children, heavily
to be equipped with education and jobs in their future. Not only wars and unsafety, but this
demographic pressure also forces people into migration, especially from Africa to Europe.
Marie-Jo THIEL: Some ethical challenges of Ageing
Marie-Jo Thiel is Professor in ethics, medical
ethics, theological ethics, bioethics, at the
University of Strasbourg. She is Director of the
CEERE (European Centre for Ethics Teaching
and Research at the University of Strasbourg)
and member of the European Group on Ethics
in Science and New Technologies of the
European Commission (EU). Physician by
training, and then theologian and ethicist, her
research interest focuses on the intersection
areas of medical ethics and theological ethics. She is author, co-author and editor of many
scientific works and publications.
Maire-Jo Thiel provided summer school participants with a lecture in which she briefly
outlined the ethical challenges of ageing. Questions on autonomy of the elderly and on their
place in modern society were discussed and the problems of ageism presented. Which
difficulties do elderly encounter in modern societies and which were the changes over the
last decades? Furthermore Marie-Jo Thiel confronted students with the difficulty of defining
a person’s autonomy. Where are the limits of a person’s autonomy? Should we recognize
autonomy, even if somebody is in a wheelchair? And if he/she has dementia? Is autonomy a
synonym of independence?
Ulla KRIEBERNEGG and Roberta MAIERHOFER: Life-Long
Transformation / Long-Life Change
Ulla Kriebernegg is an Assistant Professor at the Center for InterAmerican Studies (C.IAS) at the University of Graz, Austria. She
studied English and American Studies and German Philology at the
University of Graz and at University College Dublin, Ireland and
holds a master's and a doctoral degree from the University of Graz.
Currently, she is writing a monograph with the working title
Locating Life: Intersections of Age and Space in which she analyzes
32
Canadian and US American fictional representations of care-giving institutions. Her research
and teaching focuses on age/aging studies, North American literature and cultural studies,
and interculturality. She is a member of the steering group for the European Network in
Aging Studies (ENAS). Together with Heike Hartung and Roberta Maierhofer, she is editor of
the Aging Studies book series. Her publications include The
Transatlantic Dialogue on Higher Education: An Analysis of
Cultural Narratives (Logos 2011) and Nach Amerika nämlich!
Jüdische Migrationen im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert (Wallstein 2012)
which she co-edited with Gerald Lamprecht, Roberta Maierhofer
and Andrea Strutz.
As baby boomers have recently started to reach retirement age
and the “Silver Tsunami” is allegedly threatening our economies, a
new rhetoric of crisis makes it necessary to reconsider cultural
constructions of aging and old age. Taking into account that narratives of aging have become
increasingly recognized as lending important insights to gerontological knowledge (Zeilig
2011), this talk bridged the gap between gerontology and cultural / literary criticism. We
looked at cultural representations
of aging and old age and
discussed how critical analyses of
such texts can contribute to
theorizing the function of age in
the construction of identity in
order to show what it means to
be “aged by culture.”
33
EVENING LECTURES
James BLASINGAME: They Rhymed with their Boots On: Songs of the Cowboys
James Blasingame is an Associate Professor of English
Education at Arizona State University. He is Director of
English Education Program and President of ASU
Distinguished Teaching. Dr. Blasingame focuses on
young adult literature, secondary writing instruction,
the teaching of writing, and cowboy poetry. He is an
author of many publications on that subject.
James Blasingame centered his presentation on "The
Singing Cowboy," and showed how this icon evolved
from the cattle drives following the Civil War to the early cinema, including Herb Jeffries, The
Harlem Cowboy; Gene Autry from Radio Ranch; Roy Rogers, King of the Cowboys; Tex Ritter,
The Gringo; Dorothy Page, the Singing Cowgirl; and Rex Allen, the Arizona Cowboy. He ended
his presentation with a few notes on Elvis, who was influenced by black music. The first
cowboys were often black and the first known cowboy singer was Lead Belly (Huddie William
Ledbetter), a black jazz and folk artist, and Elvis himself first appeared on country western
music shows, like Louisiana Hayride.
Paul WILLIAMS: Canada's Engagement in the Americas
Counselor Paul Williams has headed the political, economic and
public affairs program at the Embassy of Canada in Austria since
2010. His responsibilities include bilateral contacts with the
Austrian government, civil society and academic institutions, as
well as the promotion of Canada as a study destination to students
resident in Austria. In 2012, he oversaw the launch of a pilot
project creating a social media presence for the Embassy. He
joined the Canadian Foreign Service in 2001, and exercised
responsibility for the Organization of Security and Cooperation in
Europe (OSCE) and for bilateral relations with Bolivia and Peru.
From 2003 to 2006, he was posted to the Canadian Embassy in
Santiago, Chile. Upon his return, he assumed the role of Cocoordinator for the Summit of the Americas, and helped prepare Canada's participation in
the 5th Summit of the Americas, held in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, in April 2009.
Prior to joining the Foreign Service, he worked, travelled, and studied extensively in Central
and South America. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy and International
Development Studies from Trent University and a Master's of Public Administration (with a
focus on international development) from Carleton University. He is the father of two young
children, and is therefore a frequent visitor to playgrounds in Vienna's many parks, and to
the Schoenbrunn Zoo.
Counselor Paul Williams provided this year’s summer school participants with a lecture on
Canada’s engagement in the Americas. At the beginning of the lecture he presented
34
important key facts on Canada’s geography, demography, economy, politics and history,
Canada’s diversity, and its foreign policy. He then focused on Canada’s engagement in the
Americas since 2007 and elaborated on the gradual tilt towards a hemispheric approach and
the priority placed on the re-engagement in the Americas. In doing so, counselor Williams
allowed students and faculty members to gain insight on Canada’s current undertaking from
an insider’s perspective.
At the end of his lecture, counselor Williams also talked about Canada’s academic support
options and then engaged in a lively discussion with the audience.
Lonnie JOHNSON: How to Apply for (Fulbright) Scholarships
Lonnie Johnson has been the Executive Director of the AustrianAmerican Educational Commission (AAEC), which is responsible
for managing bilateral Fulbright exchanges between Austria and
the United States, since 1997. Before joining the AAEC staff, he
directed the Austrian Academic Exchange Service's Office for
International Affairs (1994-1997); was the Associate Director for
Program Development at Institute for Human Sciences, Vienna, a
center for advanced study (1991-1994); and served as the
Associate Director and Dean of Students at the Institute of
European Studies (IES), Vienna Program: the oldest and largest
study abroad program for U.S. undergraduates in Austria.
Dr. Lonnie Johnson, Executive Director of the Austrian-American
Educational Commission (the Fulbright Commission in Austria), has received the Austrian
Cross of Honor for Science and Art First Class from Dr. Karlheinz Töchterle, then Austrian
Federal Minister for Science and Research, for deepening ties between Austria and the
United States. The honor was awarded to Dr. Johnson on June 21, 2011 as part of an award
ceremony for those receiving high honors of the Republic of Austria at the Austrian Federal
Ministry for Science and Research in Vienna.
He is the author of Introducing Austria (Ariadne Press, 1989); Vienna: The Past in the Present
(with Inge Lehne, 2nd edition, Ariadne Press, 1995), and Central Europe: Enemies, Neighbors,
Friends (Oxford University Press: 3rd revised and expanded edition, 2010).
At the beginning of this joint lecture and discussion, Lonnie Johnson, provided summer
school participants with an overview of the history of the Fulbright program. The program
was named after Senator J. William Fulbright who authored the 1946 amendment to the
"Surplus Property Act of 1944" which allowed for the disposal of surplus government
property overseas to "a State, political subdivision of a State, or tax-supported organization
(…)." Financial income the United States Government acquired from the sale of wartime
surplus goods overseas was then designated to educational exchange. As a consequence, the
Fulbright Program was established in 1946. As stated in Public Law 87-256, 1961, the
objective of the Fulbright Program is to "increase mutual understanding between the people
of the United States and the people of other countries by means of educational and cultural
exchange; to strengthen the ties which unite us with other nations (…)."
In the lively plenary discussion following these introductory remarks, Lonnie Johnson and
Roberta Maierhofer advised students on how to successfully apply for Fulbright and other
35
scholarships. Tips on preparing an application essay included: 1. Tell a story about yourself,
2. Evaluate your career highlighting accomplishments, 3. State your goals, 4. Explain why you
want to achieve a certain degree. Johnson and Maierhofer also encouraged students to be
themselves when applying for a scholarship and not to second guess what committee
members possibly want to read, to be thoughtful and to take the opportunity to talk about
their experiences in a cohesive manner to make all pieces of the application fit together.
PANEL DISCUSSION
Europe: Countries in Transformation
Bosnia and Herzegovina – along with 5 other Western Balkans countries – was identified as a
potential candidate for EU membership during the Thessaloniki European Council summit in
2003. The process towards the signature of the Stabilization and Association Agreement
(SAA) began in the same year. In 2008 Bosnia and Herzegovina adopted the required reforms
and signed the SAA but still it has not entered into force due to the country’s failure to
implement the Sejdic-Finci ruling of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR). In the
same year an EU visa liberalization dialogue was launched with Bosnia and Herzegovina,
which enabled the Council of the European Union to approve visa-free travel to the EU for
citizens of Bosnia and Herzegovina by 2010. Regardless some improvement, in 2014 the
European Commission concluded that (mostly) because of a lack of collective political will on
the side of the local leadership, Bosnia and Herzegovina has made very limited progress and
has not managed to overcome the standstill in the European integration process, while most
other countries in the region are moving ahead decisively.
In Ukraine a major political and military crisis outbursted, following the 2014 Euromaidan
movement, which demanded closer European integration, and the ousting of the thenPresident of Ukraine, Viktor Yanukovych. Russia refused to recognize the new interim36
government and seized control over the Crimean peninsula after an internationally criticized
referendum. The events were followed by pro-Russian protests in south-eastern parts of the
country and escalated into armed confrontations between separatist groups and the
Ukrainian army in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions.
Currently the crisis in the Ukraine and the incomplete transition process in Bosnia and
Herzegovina represent major political and diplomatic challenges for the European Union in
terms of its enlargement policy and international relations. The focus of the discussion was
on the transition of countries from totalitarian regime and civil-war tormented political
entities towards democratic civil systems. Finished and ongoing transition processes were
compared and political, economic, social, historical, and cultural issues in regard to
transformation and change in South Africa, Ireland, the former Soviet and Yugoslav
countries, Cyprus and the Ukraine discussed.
37
Introductory Remarks:
Chair:
Prof. Roberta Maierhofer,
Drs. Michael Kuhn, COMECE University of Graz, Director of the Center for
Inter-American Studies
Participating panelists:
Patrick Daly, General
Secretary, COMECE
Leopold Maurer, chief
negotiator for the accession of Cyprus to the
EU and former head of the EU delegation to
Montenegro
Prof. Jelena Džankić,
European University Institute
Prof. Mirko Petrić,
University of Zadar
Cecile Van Schalkwyk,
Georg Schneider,
GUSEGG
2014
Student,
from South Africa
Chairman of the managing comitee, GRAWE
Osiguranje Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina studying at Stellenbosch University
38
MORNING MEDITATION
Michael Kuhn: Meditation and the Roots of Leadership
Drs. Michael Kuhn is a permanent deacon and theologian. He
studied theology and film/communication sciences in Vienna,
Amsterdam, and Utrecht. He is Senior Policy Adviser on EU
affairs of the Austrian Bishops’ Conference and Senior Policy
Adviser of COMECE. His publications focus on film and theology;
religion, theology and European public affairs.
One of the decisive elements of true leadership is the ability to enter into silence. Silence is
the privileged space where we meet and encounter ourselves, our strength and our
weakness. It is also the precondition for "the art of discernment," for the "discretio
spirituum."
Entering into silence needs practice – and meditation offers different tools to practice. As a
"method" it is not bound to a particular religion but can draw on elements from different
traditions: Christian, Muslim, and Buddhist. We followed the method to "mindfulness" as it
has been mapped by Jon Kabat-Zinn (J. Kabat–Zinn, Wherever you go, there you are.
Hyperion, New York 1994). During our morning meditation sessions we learned first steps: to
get aware of our breath as a "path to tranquility," different "positions" – to sit, to stand, to
walk, and: we practiced patience.
At the end of each session of 15 minutes a short text from a religious and philosophical
tradition was offered to accompany us through the day.
39
STUDENTS’ REPORTS ON THE GRAZ INTERNATIONAL SUMMER SCHOOL SEGGAU 2014
Caru Coetzee, South Africa
Pre Departure
It is every South African student’s dream to go and study abroad.
Unfortunately it is also every student’s reality that for South
Africans this is nearly impossible. Our currency is too weak, our
government does not give many scholarships and our
educational system is completely different to those of European
or American schools. However, I saw this near impossibility
become a reality when I started researching summer schools to
attend at partner institutions of the University of Stellenbosch. I
sent in my application video after a frustrating week of trying to
find a quiet place to film in Stellenbosch. When I saw how many mistakes had been made in
my video and how many students had entered, my heart sank in my shoes when I realized my
chances were about as much as finding water in the Kalahari Desert. I was completely
surprised when I got the call from the International Office of our University to hear that
myself and my classmate, Cecile, had been awarded the spots at the summer school of our
choosing. But the fun was only beginning …
Summer school
Flying to Vienna, I was tired, had just finished a paper on company insolvency and helped my
mom with her 50th birthday party. I really needed a vacation and the long travel time took its
toll on me. But all of these silly worries faded away as soon as I arrived at summer school.
There were 77 incredibly diverse and dynamic students from 26 countries. Most of them
came from Europe, especially the Balkans. It was fantastic, to say the least. I could not have
wished for a better experience. The lecturers were amazing and challenging, and experts in
their fields of study.
I learnt the most from other students and chatting to them about their lives and experiences.
I heard personal stories of the Balkan wars, of the current situation in Crimea, of Egypt, and
of the life of a New Yorker. We formed a running group and ran in the afternoons, played
waterpolo in our lunch breaks and spent the evenings after our program hanging out on the
patio. I got to know people that would have never entered my realm of existence had I not
gone to Austria. I met these amazing guys from Kosovo, a country of which I had heard
probably once or twice in my life. The Austrians bought me beer and Shoko-bons. Waseh,
originally from Afghanistan but living in the Netherlands, bought me hot chocolate and I
could speak Afrikaans to him and he spoke Dutch to me. I learnt all about the European
Union from Michal, a Slovakian, and Karol, a Polish Canadian. Neza taught me about Balkan
politics and Sebnem taught me about Turkey’s secular state.
We had moot courts, guest lectures, a film evening, dance and karaoke nights, ate amazing
food, held heated debates on everything from feral chickens to euthanasia and even visited
Slovenia for a day. I learnt so much academically, but even more from the people around me.
I had lunch with a woman from Croatia doing her PhD in South African literature and spent
an hour chatting to her about life at home. I heard all about the Czech gangster hiding in
Cape Town and about the death of Yugoslavia from Robert Austin, our lecturer from Toronto.
Cecile and I did a presentation on South Africa, which included throwing Fizzers at people.
We also had a presentation in our summer school groups about everything that we learnt,
40
and it was such an enriching experience presenting this with students from all over the world
and who are all studying in different fields.
Be sure to go with an open mind, spend time socializing with the other students and be
willing to listen to their stories. If you go over there, determined to view the world from your
own perspective, then you will be disappointed and disillusioned. Be prepared to see the
world as other people see it, especially concerning religious and cultural differences. It will
make you a better person, as I know it made me.
After summer school I spent 3 days in Salzburg, and two of the guys I had met at summer
school came with me for the weekend. It was so much fun having them with me, and we saw
so much of Salzburg in one weekend. I also spent 3 days in Vienna, during which time I also
had the pleasure of visiting Michal and Barbora in Slovakia and they showed me around all
the local spots. You will most probably meet some people at summer school who also have
similar travel plans to you, so keep this in mind when making plans to travel after summer
school.
Returning to Stellenbosch
As I am writing part of this, I am sitting in Vienna International Airport waiting to board a
flight to Frankfurt. I am tired, sunburnt, broke, wearing chocolate-covered shorts and all my
clothes are dirty. I want to stay forever and I want to go home immediately as well. I made
such amazing memories, I cannot imagine rocking up to a double Company Law 471 lecture
at 8am on Monday morning. It seems unreal, and I don’t think I can face it. But I also know
that life goes on, and my life has been made richer by the experiences I have gained in the
past 3 weeks. I learnt to ride underground trains by myself at midnight, got lost and found
myself again in broken German, learnt to drink beer like a true European, picked up about
3kgs from eating bread and apfelstrudel, realized all shoes hurt after about 5 hours and that
South Africans are about the coolest people you will ever meet.
I cannot wait to go back. My experiences are my own and I will probably never be able to
recount all of them to my people, and that’s fine. Because they are mine and mine alone, and
I like it like that.
Looking back on the past 10 days since I have come home, I can honestly say my summer
school experience has changed me. I am more relaxed, but take my studies more seriously. I
make time to hear people’s stories more often. I am more aware of the crime going on
around me, and the development that still needs to happen in South Africa. My mind has
been expanded, my worldview widened and I am so happy that I get to bring some of the
knowledge I gained back home with me. I would encourage each and every student to use all
the means possible to go and study at a different University. Whether it be for 2 weeks or 2
years, it will do you the world of good.
The quote I based my application video on was based on the quote of St Augustine, and it
said that the world is a book and those who do not travel live on only one page. That is
definitely the truth, so go out there and see the world.
I am so glad to be home, but I am already planning my next trip. Definitely to the Balkans.
41
Anca Elena Ursu, Italy
I had no expectation to fulfill before arriving at the Seggau
Castle in July 2014. I have applied for the summer school with
the feeling I could get a great experience, but then, the seminar
I have applied for was at the extreme pole of what my field of
studies is. As a law student, the term literature has a different
meaning than its regular acceptation: it means codes and cases.
Surely, not stories and narratives; no deconstruction, no
personal interpretation. Therefore, the seminar Literature of
Transformation has been an incredible challenge and a
sophisticated way to come back to a passion of mine: reading.
The seminar split into two parts, each of one week, focused on so many topics in such an
intense manner I could never give account of them in a one page report. During the first
week, we enquired national literatures. Each classmate had to bring a representative story of
his/her native country. And so, we travelled from Romania to Austria through Hungary, from
Macedonia to Croatia through Serbia and Kosovo and from Russia back to Austria where we
all met. We tried to deconstruct the process of reading and to deeply understand why we
start associating characters with ourselves, why we do interpret and why is it so hard to
objectively read a narration. During the second week, we thought we would limit our horizon
to a less broad topic but as a matter of fact we opened Pandora’s box, namely the Jewish
migration from Europe to the US. We embraced the spirit of curiosity and we dug into
history, literature, cinema, cartoons, fiction and reality, representations, myths, prejudices
and facts. We discovered new thrilling stories we never thought could exist, we shared
thoughts and had great talks and debates.
I wish we had more time to merge these two weeks together with the three professors but I
guess, this was up to us through our seminar paper. If I am to evaluate this seminar, I would
simply say that everybody, from no matter what field, should have such an academic
experience. It brings new dimensions to one’s knowledge but what is more relevant, it
teaches you to raise questions, once again. Thank you for this great awakening.
Martin Kollár, Slovakia
In 2014, it was my second time at the summer school. I already
participated in 2013 and I still remember the first day very clearly. I
entered a room in a great castle and met the first person, Andriy
from Ukraine. He was just sitting on his bed and staring through a
window. We started to talk and in a few minutes I had a new
friend. The official start of the program was an opening ceremony
where participants from every country had been introduced. I
thought that I am the only one from Slovakia and I was completely
wrong. There were two other participants from my country and it
was great to know that there are other students who speak my language. In total we were
95 participants from 36 countries. What an impressive number! After the official event we
moved to the castle’s wine cellar, which was a pleasant surprise. Wine and new people, it
meant an easier way to get to know each other.
42
On the next day the academic program started. Delicious breakfast, morning lectures, lunch
and then, finally, the most interesting part, the seminar module. For me it was Economics
and Power with Professor Luis San Vicente Portes. I had never had a foreign teacher before!
The first week of the seminar widened my economical knowledge and helped me to
understand some issues better. Particularly the discussions were really interesting, especially
during breaks. The reading materials for each session forced me to look at things from
another perspective. For me, it was a big difference comparing to my home university where
it is sometimes maybe too serious. I had never had an opportunity to play table tennis with a
professor or to drink a glass of wine with one before. The atmosphere was rather relaxed and
I loved it! Day after day I was meeting new people, creating new contacts and making
existing ones stronger. While I was getting to know people I also learned about their points of
view on different issues and problems. It gave me a really big value for my life. Understand
others, listen to them, accept them or just share opinions and ideas.
The first week ended with a trip to Graz. Everything was perfectly organized: the reception at
city hall, the guided tour, free time and the evening program, perfect. In the second week the
seminar topic changed and a new lecturer came: Professor Soeren Keil from Germany. He
was even more relaxed than Professor Portes. Don’t get me wrong, Luis was the best teacher
I´ve ever had. Soeren was just different. His lectures didn´t just teach me something new,
they also showed me a different way how to look at studies, responsibility and reliability. It
motivated me to work harder. It was a great experience because a month later I moved to
France for studies. The summer school was a great starting point to the six months there. I
was highly motivated at academic activities and confident in making new acquaintances.
I returned from France in February 2014. Twenty-seven days before the application deadline.
I wasn’t ready to apply. I had a lot of duties and work. One day I wrote a message to my
friend Vladimir Bobu from Moldova, also a participant and my roommate from last year. I
asked: “Hi Vladimir, are you going to apply for the summer school this year?”
The answer was: “Hi Martin! It is very nice to hear from you. Yes, sure I am going to apply. It
was a great time there. And you? It would be great to see you there again. I will bring some
Moldavian wine and you can finally taste it. Please let me know about it soon.”
When I read these words, memories popped up and suddenly I started to fill out the
application form. It was tough but I made it. The result was: “We are sorry but you were not
nominated.” I was a little bit disappointed, but that´s life. You never know the result in
advance. Two months later everything changed. A subsequent nomination came and I got
offered an opportunity to participate once again. I was looking forward to the nice time at
the Seggau Castle.
On the first evening at dinner I met old friends, old faces. I was very happy about it. Later I
met my new roommates, Douglas from the United States and Elion from Kosovo. They both
were really great guys. After the opening evening I was ready for my seminar module. It
absolutely wasn´t my field of study but I was encouraged to try. Already the first session of
the Rhethorics of Transformation Seminar was highly interesting. The topic of the first week
was Citizenship, Nation and State. It showed me a different perspective on possibilities and
life standard of people in unstable countries. The teacher was always carefully prepared and
a real professional. That was something what showed me how I could improve myself. The
second week was different. David Bates and his philosophical class were amazing. It
encouraged me to think a lot and I liked it. Still I think that the academic program is not the
most important thing at the summer school. Most important for me is friendship and well
43
spent time. I think that´s something what I love about this summer school. I want to thank
everyone who made me feel happy and helped me to enjoy these two summer weeks.
Kushal Agrawal, India
When we talk of the Graz University International Summer
School or GUSEGG as we know it, we talk about diverse cultures,
broad perspectives, wide approaches, informative sessions and
crazy nights filled with fun. I could find students from all over the
world at one place united, to incorporate their thoughts about
‘Transformation and Change: Europe and beyond’. Although the
offered six modules were all very diverse in nature, we had
morning collaborative seminars, where all students got together
and learned about different modules to get an overall gist of the
topics, and also at the same time gave their perspective thoughts on it. Group discussions
among students, panel discussion with the professors, and presentations gave us a broad and
intense approach to look at a topic from various angles. But it’s not only about the study; if
the days were filled with intensive study, the nights got more intense and crazy, but with fun.
We had a wine tasting night, pool parties, sports tournaments, dancing workshops and tours
and excursions. Getting to know people from diverse backgrounds and cultures was not only
amazing but also very informative. The Professors and administration staff were very
supportive and flexible with students, and hence that made the overall experience an
unforgettable memory. These 2 weeks of GUSEGG not only gives you academic knowledge
and chance to earn ECTS, but also shows you how life should have proportionate amount of
study and fun both at the same time.
44
MEDIA REPORTS
www.katholische-kirche-steiermark.at. Katholische Kirche Steiermark. 10 December 2013.
Graz International Summer
School Seggau bis 2017
verlängert
Die Weichen für die Zukunft der Graz
International Summer School Seggau
wurden von Diözesanbischof Egon Kapellari
und Rektorin Christa Neuper gelegt.
Die Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, die Diözese Graz-Seckau und die COMECE (Commission
of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community) haben sich auf die Verlängerung
der bestehenden Kooperation bei der jährlich stattfindenden „Graz International Summer
School Seggau“ bis 2017 geeinigt. Das war das Ergebnis von Gesprächen zwischen Rektorin
Univ. Prof. Dr. Christa Neuper und Bischof Dr. Egon Kapellari.
Die „Graz International Summer School Seggau“ bietet einen Campus für Studierende aus
Europa und der Welt und findet von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli 2014 zum 9. Mal statt. Das Thema
2014 lautet: „Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond“. Ein Schwerpunkt bei der
Summer School 2014 wird besonders auch die Memoria an das Jahr 1914 sein.
Die Summer School bietet rund 80 Studierenden aus vielen Ländern Europas und darüber
hinaus ein Forum, auf dem sie gemeinsam mit Lehrenden über dieses Thema in Vorlesungen,
Diskussionen und Seminaren sprechen können. Es geht dabei darum, das gegenseitige
Verständnis zu erhöhen und gemeinsam über Impulse für eine vitale Zukunft zu sprechen.
Dies besonders in Hinblick auf globale Herausforderungen im Kontext zahlreicher
individueller, kultureller, religiöser, wirtschaftlicher und gesellschaftlicher
Veränderungsprozesse.
Die Diözese Graz-Seckau beteiligt sich an der „Summer School“ und an ähnlichen Symposien
wie „Geist&Gegenwart“ und den „Seggauer Gesprächen zu Kirche und Staat“, um ein Forum
für einen profilierten interdisziplinären und internationalen Austausch in Hinblick auf eine
humane und vitale Gesellschaft zu bieten. Diese Veranstaltungen sind ein wichtiger Beitrag
zu einem solchen Dialog und zu Schloss Seggau als einer europäischen Adresse.
Die Anmeldephase für die Summer School 2014 hat zudem bereits begonnen.
Source:
http://www.katholische-kirche-steiermark.at/?d=graz-international-summer-school-seggaubis-2017-verlaengert
[10 December 2013]
45
Kathweb. Katholische Presseagentur Österreichs. 11 December 2013.
"Graz International Summer
School Seggau" bis 2017
verlängert
Kirchliches Bildungszentrum Schloss Seggau bleibt europäische Adresse für interdisziplinären
akademischen Austausch
11.12.2013
Graz, 11.12.2013 (KAP) Die Diözese Graz-Seckau, die Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz und die
"COMECE" (Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community) werden
ihre Kooperation bei der jährlich stattfindenden "Graz International Summer School Seggau"
bis 2017 fortsetzen. Das war das Ergebnis von Gesprächen zwischen Uni-Rektorin Christa
Neuper und dem Grazer Bischof Egon Kapellari.
Die Summer School bietet seit 2006 einen Campus für Studierende aus Europa und darüber
hinaus, sie findet von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli 2014 zum neunten Mal statt. Das Thema 2014
lautet: "Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond". Ein Schwerpunkt wird dabei
besonders auch der Rückblick auf das Schicksalsjahr 1914 sein, heißt es in einer Aussendung
der Diözese Graz-Seckau.
Bei der sommerlichen Bildungsveranstaltung auf Schloss Seggau behandeln rund 80
Studierende und Lehrende das jeweilige Schwerpunktthema in Vorlesungen, Diskussionen
und Seminaren. Die Diözese Graz-Seckau beteiligt sich an der Summer School und an
ähnlichen Symposien wie "Geist&Gegenwart" und den "Seggauer Gesprächen zu Kirche und
Staat" und ist damit als Gastgeberin eines interdisziplinären Austausches zu einer
europäischen Adresse geworden.
Source:
http://www.kathpress.at/site/nachrichten/database/59330.html.
[11 December 2013]
46
Kleine Zeitung. Wissen. Forschung aus der Steiermark. 02 January 2014
Summer School in Seggau
UNI GRAZ. Verlängert wird die „Graz International Summer School
Seggau“ (GUSEGG) bis 2017, vereinbarten kürzlich Uni-Rektorin
Christa Neuper und Diözesanbischof Egon Kapellari. Seit acht Jahren
diskutieren bei diesem Forum Studenten aus aller Welt über
brennende Fragen der Gegenwart. Heuer wird der Schwerpunkt bei
internationalen Transformationsprozessen und deren globalen
Auswirkungen liegen.
Source:
Kleine Zeitung. Wissen. Forschung aus der Steiermark. 2. Januar
2014. Page 26.
Kleine Zeitung. Steiermark. 22 June 2014
Studieren in der Südsteiermark
SEGGAU. Studierende aus ganz Europa sind vom 29. Juni bis
12. Juli zu Gast bei der „9. International Summer School“ auf
Schloss Seggau (Bezirk Leibnitz). Auf dem Programm stehen
aktuelle weltpolitische wie auch gesellschaftpolitische
Fragestellungen. Die Teilnehmer können etwa Kurse über
Politik und Recht, Medien, Religion und Wirtschaft oder den
demografischen Wandel und seine Folgen besuchen. Die
Veranstaltung wird unter anderem von der Uni Graz und der
Diözese Graz-Seckau getragen.
Source:
Kleine Zeitung. Steiermark. 22. Juni 2014. Page 22.
47
www.kathpress.at. Kathweb. Katholische Presseagentur Österreichs. 24 June 2014
Religiöse Sommertagungen bieten
Erholung mit geistiger Anregung
Zahlreiche Veranstaltungen in der Ferienzeit laden zu Bildung und Austausch – Österreichs
Stifte, Schlösser, Bildungshäuser und Universitäten sind im Juli und August Lehr- und
Lernorte.
24.06.2014
Für den Auftakt zum sommerlichen Reigen sorgt von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli die „International
Summer School Seggau“. Bei der neunten Auflage dieser Begegnung zwischen Kirche und
Wissenschaft werden wieder rund 100 Studierende aus ganz Europa im diözesanen
Bildungshaus Schloss Seggau in der Südsteiermark erwartet. Thema ist heuer
„Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond“; angesichts der Tatsache, dass „die
einzige Konstante der heutigen Welt der Wandel ist“, werden in Vorlesungen und
vertiefenden Seminaren politische, soziale, kulturelle und religiöse Umwälzungen in Europa
beleuchtet.
Source:
http://www.kathpress.at/site/nachrichten/database/63158.html
[24 June 2014]
48
www.katholische-kirche-steiermark.at. Katholische Kirche Steiermark. 27 June 2014
Mitdenken, Mitreden, Mitbauen
Rund 80 Studierende aus 30 Nationen
beschäftigen sich von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli auf
Schloss Seggau mit dem Projekt Europa.
„Transformation and Change: Europe and
Beyond“ heißt das Thema, zu dem die Universität
Graz, die Kommission der Europäischen
Bischofskonferenzen und die Diözese GrazSeckau bei der „Graz International Summer
School Seggau“ (GUSEGG) einladen.
Diözesanbischof Egon Kapellari wird gemeinsam mit Rektorin Christa Neuper die
International Summer School auf Schloss Seggau am 29. 6. um 20 Uhr eröffnen. Der
Referatsbischof für Europäische Fragen der Österreichischen Bischofskonferenz und
ehemalige Hochschulseelsorger ermutigt immer wieder dazu, am Bauplatz Europas aktiv
mitzudenken, mitzureden und mitzubauen.
Vormittags gibt es ein allgemeines Vorlesungsprogramm, gehalten von renommierten
WissenschaftlerInnen wie dem Grazer Volkswirt Heinz D. Kurz, oder David Bates aus
Canterbury, UK. Nachmittags können die Studierenden eines aus sechs Seminaren wählen:
„Recht & Politik“, „Wirtschaft & Innovation“, „Geschichte & Macht“, „Gesellschaft &
Kultur“, „Ethik & Religion“, „Medien & Kommunikation“. Diese werden begleitet von
heimischen und internationalen Wissenschaftlern etwa aus Kroatien, den USA, Frankreich
und Kanada. Den Eröffnungsvortrag am 30. Juni halten Liliane Weissberg und Patrick J. Mc
Namara.
Am Thema Interessierte können am öffentlichen Diskussionsabend, der in Zusammenarbeit
mit dem Land Steiermark Abteilung Kultur, Europa, Außenbeziehungen am 3. Juli um 20 Uhr
stattfindet, teilnehmen. Unter dem Titel „Europe: Countries in Transformation“ / Europa in
Bewegung: Transformationsprozesse und Veränderungen, werden Studierende und
ProfessorInnen der GUSEGG mit Leopold Maurer, ehem. Delegationsleiter der EU in
Montenegro, Patrick Daly, Generalsekretär der COMECE und Georg Schneider, Vertreter der
GRAWE ins Gespräch kommen. Moderation: Roberta Maierhofer, akademische Leiterin der
International Summerschool.
Die 14 tägige Veranstaltung bietet nicht nur wissenschaftlich Reizendes. Am Programm
stehen neben einer Graz Exkursion, ein Film- wie auch Karaokeabend, eine Weinverkostung
im 300 Jahre alten Weinkeller des Schlosses, ein Nordamerikaabend und zum Abschluss,
dazupassend, ein BBQ.
Source:
http://www.katholische-kirche-steiermark.at/?d=mitdenken-mitreden-mitbauen
[27 June 2014]
49
Kathweb. Katholische Presseagentur Österreich. 30 June 2014
Kapellari: Jugend kann viel zu
humaner Gesellschaft beitragen
Grazer Diözesanbischof in Eröffnungssprache bei „International Summer School Seggau“:
Voraussetzung dafür ist umfassende Bildung
30.06.2014
Graz, 30.06.2014 (KAP) Gerade junge, couragierte Leute können viel zu einer vitalen und
humanen Gesellschaft beitragen: Mit diesen Worten hat sich der Grazer Diözesanbischof
Egon Kapellari am Sonntagabend an die rund 80 Sudierenden und Lehrenden bei der
„International Summer School Seggau“ gewandt. Eine wichtige Voraussetzung für diese
willkommene Einflussnahme sei eine möglichst umfassende Bildung; diese solle nicht nur
technische und ökonomische Fähigkeiten vermitteln, sondern auch das „reiche Erbe der
Human- und Geisteswissenschaften“ sowie humanistische Werte und Tugenden zur
Entfaltung bringen, so Kapellari n seiner Eröffnungssprache. Diese Werte seien
unverzichtbar, „wenn der Mensch immer mehr Mensch werden und die Gesellschaft vital,
stabil und auf das Gemeinwohl hin orientiert bleiben soll“.
Der Grazer Bischof rief die jungen Summer-School-Teilnehmer auch dazu auf, ihre je eigene
und die gemeinsame kulturelle, soziale, politische und religiöse Identität in eine plurale
Zivilgesellschaft einzubringen „und diese dadurch lebendiger zu machen“. Die Diözese GrazSeckau beteiligte sich an der „Summer School“, um ein Labor für darauf bezogene
Kreativität und Diskussion nachhaltig mit zu gestalten.
Die zum neunten Mal veranstaltete International Summer School Seggau sei mittlerweile
„ein profiliertes europäisches Forum“, auf dem Studierende aus vielen Ländern und aus
vielen Studienrichtungen gemeinsam mit ebenfalls sehr vielfältigen Dozenten ein für Europa
relevantes Generalthema behandeln. 2014 steht das Thema „Transformation and Change –
Europe and Beyond“ im Mittelpunkt. Dazu Bischof Kapellari: In einer Zeit zunehmender
Dynamisierung in einer immer pluraler werdenden Gesellschaft gebe es heute „zahlreiche
miteinander in Spannung und oft auch im Konflikt stehende Werte und darauf begründete
Identitäten“. Gerade die Identität des „Projektes Europa“ werde heute angesichts
zahlreicher Krisen kritisch diskutiert. Als besonders wichtig erachtet Kapellari dabei auch die
Frage nach dem Verhältnis Europas zu anderen Kontinenten.
In diesem pluralen Horizont könne sich die katholische Kirche als „das älteste Globalinstitut
auf unserer Erde“ bewähren. Mehr denn je sei sie heute eine Weltkirche. Jenseits eines
„simplen Eurozentrismus“ habe sie Europa mehr und länger mitgeprägt, als alle anderen
Kontinente, wies der Bischof hin. „Dieses Erbe ist ein großer Auftrag mitzudenken,
mitzureden und mitzubauen auf dem Bauplatz Europa.“
Mitveranstalter der bis 12. Juli dauernden Summer School sind neben der Diözese GrazSeckau auch die Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz und die COMECE (die Kommission der
50
Bischofskonferenzen der Europäischen Gemeinschaft).
Source:
http://www.kathpress.at/site/nachrichten/database/63274.html
[30 June 2014]
Sonntagsblatt. Kirche Steiermark. 6 July 2014
Für das Projekt Europa
80 Studierende bei der Summer
School auf Schloss Seggau
80 Studierende aus vielen Nationen
und Studienrichtungen behandeln bei
der „International Summer School“ auf
Schloss Seggau bis 12. Juli mit
Dozenten aus mehreren Fächern und
Ländern Themen, die für das
Miteinander der Menschen in Europa
und weltweit besonders wichtig
erscheinen. Generalthema der
heurigen Sommer School ist
„Transformation and Change: Europe
and Beyond“.
Die zum neunten Mal durchgeführte
Sommerschule ist ein profiliertes europäisches Forum, zu dem die Karl-Franzens-Universität
Graz, die Kommission der Europäischen Bischofskonferenzen (COMECE) und die Diözese
Graz-Seckau einladen.
„Gerade junge, couragierte Leute können vieles zu einer vitalen und humanen Gesellschaft
beitragen“, betonte Bischof Dr. Egon Kapellari in seiner Eröffnungsansprache. Dazu bedürfe
es einer möglichst umfassenden Bildung, die auch humanistische Werte und Tugenden
umfassen müsse, die zum Gemeinwohl beitragen.
Die Diözese Graz-Seckau beteiligte sich an der Sommer School, „um ein Labor für darauf
bezogene Kreativität und Diskussion nachhaltig mit zu gestalten.“
Source:
Sonntagsblatt. Kirche Steiermark. 6. Juli 2014. Page 4.
51
on.uni-graz.at. Uni.On. Das Online-Magazin der Universität Graz. 1 July 2014
Think Tank im Schloss
Studierende aus 26 Ländern treffen sich zur 9.
International Summer School in Seggau
Bereits zum 9. Mal in Folge veranstaltet heuer die KarlFranzens-Universität Graz gemeinsam mit der
Kommission der Bischofskonferenzen der
Europäischen Gemeinschaft (COMECE) und der
Diözese Graz Seckau sowie mit Unterstützung des
Landes Steiermark die „International Summer School Seggau“. Von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli
2014 beschäftigen sich 77 Studierende aus 26 Ländern mit dem Thema „Transformation
and Change: Europe and Beyond“. Gemeinsam mit ExpertInnen aus Wissenschaft und
öffentlichem Leben werden nicht nur aktuelle europäische Themen und Angelegenheiten,
sondern auch globale Entwicklungen und Herausforderungen diskutiert. Rektorin UnivProf. Dr. Christa Neuper, Diözesanbischof Dr. Egon Kapellari und Dr. Michael Kuhn,
Referent der Österreichischen Bischofskonferenz für Europa, eröffneten die
Sommerschule am 29. Juni auf Schloss Seggau.
„Es ist uns ein Anliegen, dass Forschung und Lehre der Universität Graz auf internationaler
Ebene Relevanz für die Gesellschaft haben. Die International Summer School Seggau
leistet dazu einen wichtigen Beitrag“, betonte Christa Neuper. „Sie ist schon eher ein Think
Tank als ein Studienprogramm“, unterstrich Neuper die Bedeutung dieses Forums für
Diskussion und Gedankenaustausch über die Gestaltung der Gegenwart und Zukunft.
„Junge Menschen wie Sie können wesentlich zu einer lebendigen und humanen
Gesellschaft beitragen“, ermutigte Egon Kapellari die TeilnehmerInnen, die Sommerschule
zu nutzen, um mitzudenken, mitzureden und mitzubauen.
Vormittags erwartet die Studierenden ein Vorlesungsprogramm von renommierten
WissenschafterInnen aus mehreren Ländern. Am Nachmittag stehen Seminare aus den
Bereichen Recht & Politik, Wirtschaft & Innovation, Geschichte & Macht, Gesellschaft &
Kultur, Ethik & Religion sowie Medien & Kommunikation zur Auswahl.
Am Donnerstag, den 3. Juli 2014, um 20 Uhr laden die VeranstalterInnen zu einem
öffentlichen Diskussionsabend auf Schloss Seggau, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Land
Steiermark, Abteilung Kultur, Europa, Außenbeziehungen. Unter dem Titel „Europe:
Countries in Transformation“ diskutieren Studierende und Lehrende der Sommerschule
mit Dr. Leopold Maurer, ehemaliger Delegationsleiter der EU in Montenegro, Patrick Daly,
Generalsekretär der COMECE und Dr. Georg Schneider, Vertreter der Grazer
Wechselseitigen Versicherung. Moderiert wird die Diskussion von Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr.
Roberta Maierhofer vom Institut für Amerikanistik der Uni Graz, akademische Leiterin der
Summer School.
Source:
http://on.uni-graz.at/de/studieren/article/think-tank-im-schloss/
[1 July 2014]
52
katholische-kirche-steiermark.at. 2 July 2014
Think Tank im Schloss
Studierende aus 26 Ländern treffen sich zur
9. International Summer School in Seggau.
Der Generalsekretär der COMECE, Patrick
Daly, ist ab 3.7. zu Gast.
Bereits zum 9. Mal in Folge veranstaltet
heuer die Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz
gemeinsam mit der Kommission der
Bischofskonferenzen der Europäischen
Gemeinschaft (COMECE) und der Diözese
Graz Seckau sowie mit Unterstützung des Landes Steiermark die „International Summer
School Seggau“. Von 29. Juni bis 12. Juli 2014 beschäftigen sich 77 Studierende aus 26
Ländern mit dem Thema „Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond“. Gemeinsam
mit ExpertInnen aus Wissenschaft und öffentlichem Leben werden nicht nur aktuelle
europäische Themen und Angelegenheiten, sondern auch globale Entwicklungen und
Herausforderungen diskutiert. Rektorin Univ-Prof. Dr. Christa Neuper, Diözesanbischof Dr.
Egon Kapellari und Dr. Michael Kuhn, COMECE, eröffneten die Sommerschule am 29. Juni
auf Schloss Seggau.
„Es ist uns ein Anliegen, dass Forschung und Lehre der Universität Graz auf internationaler
Ebene Relevanz für die Gesellschaft haben. Die International Summer School Seggau leistet
dazu einen wichtigen Beitrag“, betonte Christa Neuper. „Sie ist schon eher ein Think Tank
als ein Studienprogramm“, unterstrich Neuper die Bedeutung dieses Forums für Diskussion
und Gedankenaustausch über die Gestaltung der Gegenwart und Zukunft. „Junge Menschen
wie Sie können wesentlich zu einer lebendigen und humanen Gesellschaft beitragen“,
ermutigte Egon Kapellari die TeilnehmerInnen, die Sommerschule zu nutzen, um
mitzudenken, mitzureden und mitzubauen.
Am Donnerstag, den 3. Juli 2014, um 20 Uhr laden die VeranstalterInnen zu einem
öffentlichen Diskussionsabend auf Schloss Seggau, in Zusammenarbeit mit dem Land
Steiermark, Abteilung Kultur, Europa, Außenbeziehungen. Unter dem Titel „Europe:
Countries in Transformation“ diskutieren Studierende und Lehrende der Sommerschule mit
Dr. Leopold Maurer, ehemaliger Delegationsleiter der EU in Montenegro, Patrick Daly,
Generalsekretär der COMECE und Dr. Georg Schneider, Vertreter der Grazer
Wechselseitigen Versicherung. Moderiert wird die Diskussion von Ao.Univ.-Prof. Dr. Roberta
Maierhofer vom Institut für Amerikanistik der Uni Graz, akademische Leiterin der Summer
School.
Gudrun Pichler, Uni-Graz
Source:
http://www.katholische-kirche-steiermark.at/?d=think-tank-im-schloss
[2 July 2014]
53
www.europa.steiermark.at. Portal europa.steiermark. 8 July 2014.
Europa in Bewegung
Diskussionsabend im Rahmen der
International Summerschool auf Schloss
Seggau
Graz (07.07.2014). - Bereits zum 9. Mal in Folge
veranstaltet heuer die Karl-FranzensUniversität Graz gemeinsam mit der
Kommission der Bischofskonferenzen der
Europäischen Gemeinschaft (COMECE) und der
Diözese Graz Seckau mit Unterstützung des
Landes Steiermark die „International Summer
School Seggau". Seit 29. Juni bis zum 12. Juli
2014 beschäftigen sich rund 80 Studierende aus 30 Ländern mit dem Thema
"Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond". Gemeinsam mit ExpertInnen aus
Wissenschaft und öffentlichem Leben werden nicht nur aktuelle europäische Themen und
Angelegenheiten diskutiert, sondern auch globale Entwicklungen und Herausforderungen
beleuchtet und diskutiert.
Wie schon eine schöne Tradition fand in Zusammenarbeit mit dem EuropeDirect, Land
Steiermark, Abteilung Kultur, Europa, Außenbeziehungen am 3.7.2014 eine öffentliche
Diskussion unter dem Titel „Europe: Countries in Transformation" / Europa in Bewegung:
Transformationsprozesse und Veränderungen statt. Studierende und ProfessorInnen der
Sommerschule, Leopold Maurer, ehem. Delegationsleiter der EU in Montenegro, Patrick
Daly, Generalsekretär der COMECE und Georg Schneider, Vertreter der GRAWE gaben unter
der Moderation von Roberta Maierhofer, der akademischen Leiterin der Summerschool
Inputs. Europa hat in der gegenwärtigen Situation einen merkwürdig ambivalenten Klang.
An den « Rändern » der Europäischen Union, besonders im Osten (Ukraine) und Südosten
(die Länder des ehemaligen Jugoslawiens) gibt es große Erwartungen mit Blick auf Europa.
Vor allem die Jugend erhofft sich viel von der Europäischen Union und möchte
dazugehören. Was sie genau in der EU sieht, ist vielleicht nicht so deutlich, aber sie
verbindet damit sicher die Hoffnung auf ein freieres und sichereres Leben, auf Austausch,
Reisen, Leben in anderen Ländern und auf Arbeit. So standen im Mittelpunkt der Diskussion
die Themenbereiche des Übergangs von Gesellschaften bei Bürgerkriegen und zivilen
Konflikten zu demokratischen Systemen. Es wurden Vergleiche zwischen der Entwicklung
am Balkan und Irland, Südafrika, Zypern, Montenegro oder DDR/BRD gezogen. Die
Wichtigkeit von Kompromissbereitschaft, Aussöhnungsprozessen und die Fokussierung auf
Gemeinsamkeiten um dauerhafte und stabile Lösungen wurden unterstrichen. Kompetent
erwiesen sich die Studenten in den klaren Nachfragen und Kommentaren zu den Beiträgen
der Podiumsteilnehmer, freuen sich die Organisatoren, Heidi Zikulnig von EuropeDirect,
Michael Kuhn, COMECE und Roberta Maierhofer.
Source:
http://www.europa.steiermark.at/cms/beitrag/12037223/2950520/
[8 July 2014]
54
europe-infos.eu. Europeinfos. Die EU aus christlicher Perspektive. Newsletter of the
Comission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU and the Jesuit European Office.
Education. 174. September 2014
The International Summer School – a place of
change
For the ninth time in a row, COMECE has helped
to organise the “Graz International Summer
School Seggau” (GUSEGG) in Austria. The main
theme of this year’s event was ‘transformation’.
It has now become a tradition for COMECE to
run, together with the University of Graz and the
Diocese of Graz-Seckau, a Summer School during
the first two weeks in July for young people
interested in international affairs. This year, as in
previous years, around a hundred students and professors from 26 different countries and
50 universities came together once more at Seggau Castle, the former Episcopal See in the
midst of the beautiful Styrian countryside, to spend two weeks examining questions of
European and global importance at academic level. The main emphasis of this year’s
Summer School was “Transformation and Change: Europe and beyond”.
My experiences as a participant
I had the privilege of experiencing the Summer School from a participant’s perspective. As I
found out later through talking to other participants, I was not the only one who felt at the
beginning of the event that the aspects which (at first sight) divide us and distinguish us
from each other sit at the forefront of our perception. However, we all came from different
corners of not only Europe (EU and non-EU countries) but of the entire world, from
countries such as South Africa, USA, Mexico and Russia. Some of these countries have
waged war against each other in the past or are doing so even now. We came from differing
traditions with different religious convictions and ideologies, linguistic cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds.
In her speech of welcome, the Director of the Summer School, Prof. Roberta Maierhofer,
had already warned us to prepare ourselves for an experience of transformation and
change during the ensuing days. What followed was an intensive academic programme
consisting of lectures and seminars specialising in particular areas. Through exchanging
views and ideas with renowned experts, we had opportunities to learn about different ways
of experiencing change: from the world of media, to migration, religious conversions and
economic developments, as well as ageing and demographic change.
The political transformation processes in Europe were examined from different
perspectives in a panel discussion with high-ranking guests, including the Rev. Patrick Daly,
COMECE General Secretary, who spoke about European integration from the viewpoint of
the Church.
Personal change
One important element of the Seggau Summer School that distinguishes it from normal
courses and lectures at a university is the emphasis on interactivity. After every lecture and
55
during each seminar, there was plenty of scope for discussion and intellectual exchange of
views. The students were motivated to examine stimulating topics in a creative and
interdisciplinary way and share their ideas with others. The teamwork and mutual
cooperation among the students, and between students and the professors, also carried on
beyond the official lecture times during meals and excursions as well as during sports and
other leisure activities.
In particular, the personal encounters and testimonies contributed by the participants made
the Summer School a unique place to feel the pulse of change, i.e. of personal change. In
addition to acquiring scientific and academic knowledge that will certainly be important for
our future career paths, I – and I believe also the others attending the Summer School –
experienced a change in our thinking and perception. Our horizons were broadened. What
at the beginning we had regarded as being divisive eventually enriched us personally and
built bridges between us. We came to the Summer School as individual people and left as a
group of friends.
An important matter for the Church
For Michael Kuhn, COMECE Summer School coordinator, this is also precisely the reason
why collaboration in this project is an important matter for the Church. As Bishop Egon
Kapellari, Diocesan Bishop of Graz, emphasised during the opening of GUSEGG 2014, it is
necessary “to offer young people extensive education and training that not only imparts
technical and economic skills but, rather, also knowledge that relates to the heritage of
human sciences and the humanities so as to enable young people to make a substantial
contribution to a vibrant and humane society through the development of humanist values
and virtues.” A call that the Seggau Summer School fully endorses.
Marek Mišák
COMECE
Source:
http://europe-infos.eu/europeinfos/en/archive/issue174/article/6735.html
[31.10.2014]
DE: http://europe-infos.eu/europeinfos/de/archiv/ausgabe174/article/6744.html
FR: http://europe-infos.eu/europeinfos/fr/archives/numero174/article/6725.html
56
ZUSAMMENFASSUNG AUF DEUTSCH
Die Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014 befasste sich mit dem Thema
Transformation and Change: Europe and Beyond.
Ziele
Die vielfältigen Hintergründe von Teilnehmenden und Vortragenden bildeten die Basis für
interdisziplinäres Arbeiten. Die Atmosphäre auf dem Schloss bot darüber hinaus den
perfekten Rahmen für informelle Treffen zwischen Vortragenden und Studierenden. Der
Schwerpunkt der Sommerschule lag auf den Amerikas und Ost- und Südosteuropa.
Die interdisziplinäre, interkulturelle und internationale Zusammenarbeit im Rahmen der
Sommerschule prägte die Kompetenzen von zukünftigen Entscheidungsträgern in
verschiedenen Bereichen wie Sozial-, Politik-, Wirtschafts- und den Geisteswissenschaften.
Die wichtigsten Stichwörter zur Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014:




77 Studierende und 28 Vortragende
Plenarvorträge, Vorlesungen, 6 parallel laufende Seminarmodule, Exkursion nach
Graz
Diskussionen mit Vortragenden und Gästen
Anrechnung von ECTS-Credits (6 ECTS für Teilnahme und Seminararbeit)
Organisation
Die Sommerschule wurde von der Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (Büro für Internationale
Beziehungen und Center for Inter-American Studies) in Zusammenarbeit mit der Diözese
Graz-Seckau und der Kommission der Bischofskonferenzen der Europäischen Gemeinschaft
(COMECE) organisiert und umgesetzt.
Die Steuerungsgruppe der Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014 bestand aus
folgenden Personen:
 Roberta Maierhofer, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (Akademische Leiterin der
GUSEGG)
 Blaž Ploj und Ulrike Schoenbacher, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (Studierenden- und
Lehrendenkoordinatoren der GUSEGG)
 Katharina Kirchmayer, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (Vertreterin des Rektorates)
 Peter Rosegger (Vertreter der Diözese Graz-Seckau)
 Michael Kuhn (Vertreter der COMECE)
Akademisches Board der Sommerschule 2014:
 Roberta Maierhofer, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (A)
 Ulla Kriebernegg, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (A)
 Soeren Keil, Canterbury Christ Church University (UK)
57
 Mirko Petrić, University of Zadar (HR)
 Luis San Vicente Portes, Montclair State University (USA)
 Manfred Prisching, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz (A)
Kosten und Finanzierung
Die Gesamtkosten (Unterkunft und Verpflegung für Lehrende und Studierende, Gehalt und
Reisekosten für Lehrende, technische Infrastruktur, Exkursionen und Abendprogramm) von
etwa € 100.000 wurden durch die Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz, die Diözese Graz-Seckau,
die COMECE, Studiengebühren (€ 350/€ 400/€ 450/€ 600) sowie eingeworbene Drittmittel
gedeckt.
Bereitgestellt wurden Drittmittel durch:
-
Arbeiterkammer Steiermark
Central European Exchange Program for University Studies (CEEPUS)
David-Herzog-Fonds (Centrum für Jüdische Studien)
Botschaft von Kanada in Österreich, Wien
Botschaft der Vereinigten Staaten Wien, Österreich
European Network in Aging Studies
Forschungsschwerpunkt Kultur- und Deutungsgeschichte Europas
Idustriellenvereinigung Steiermark
Land Steiermark: Abteilung Kultur, Europa und Außenbeziehungen
Renovabis
Stadt Graz
Stichting Communicantes
Wirtschaftskammer Steiermark
Akademisches Programm
Die Studierenden besuchten Plenarvorträge am Vormittag und Abenddiskussionen. Folgende
Seminare fanden am Nachmittag in Kleingruppen statt:
Seminar 01 - Politics & Law
Seminar 02 - Media, Society & Culture
Seminar 03 - Ethics, Religion & Economics
Seminar 04 - Rhetorics of Transformation
Seminar 05 - Literature of Transformation
Seminar 06 - Aging and Demographic Change
Auch dieses Jahr konnten wieder renommierte Vortragende für die Graz International
Summer School Seggau gewonnen werden. Die keynote lecture hielt Liliane Weissberg,
University of Pennsylvania, USA. Weiters waren Robert Austin, University of Toronto,
Kanada; David Bates, Canterbury Christ Church University, UK; James Blasingame, Peter
Goggin und Maureen Goggin, Arizona State University, USA; Marta Cerezo Moreno, National
58
University of Distance Education (UNED), Spanien; Christian Cwik, Universität Köln,
Deutschland; Patrick Daly und Michael Kuhn, COMECE; Jelena Džankić, European University
Institute; Rolando Hinojosa Smith, University of Texas at Austin, USA; Krešimir Krolo und
Mirko Petrić, University of Zadar, Kroatien; Patrick McNamara, University of Minnesota, USA;
Luis San Vicente Portes, Montclair State University, USA; Marie Jo Thiel University of
Strasbourg, Frankreich; Ulla Kriebernegg , Heinz D. Kurz, Gerald Lamprecht, Roberta
Maierhofer, Manfred Prisching, Stefan Storr and Peter Teibenbacher, Karl-FranzensUniversität Graz, Österreich; Lonnie Johnson, Fulbright – Executive Director, AustrianAmerican Educational Commission und Botschaftsrat Paul Williams, Kanadische Botschaft in
Wien Vortragende bzw. Lehrende bei der Graz International Summer School Seggau 2014.
Ausgewählte Vortragende eines Nachmittagsseminars hielten auch Plenarvorträge, die auf
ein breiteres Publikum ausgerichtet waren und von allen Studierenden besucht wurden.
Darüber hinaus schufen die Vorträge und auch abendliche Diskussionen den Raum für
ausführlichen Austausch.
Weitere Programmpunkte für die Studierenden
Neben dem akademischen Programm fand jeden Morgen vor den Plenarvorlesungen eine
Meditationsübung für interessierte Studierende unter der Leitung von Drs. Michael Kuhn
statt.
Darüber hinaus wurde neben den Vorlesungen und Seminaren eine eintägige Exkursion nach
Graz für die Studierenden organisiert. Diese umfasste einen Besuch der Karl-FranzensUniversität Graz, eine Stadtführung sowie einen Empfang im Büro von Bürgermeister Mag.
Siegfried Nagl.
Weiters wurden verschiedene kulturelle Veranstaltungen wie beispielsweise eine Lesung von
US-Autor Rolando Hinojosa-Smith (The University of Texas at Austin) und Diskussionen mit
Persönlichkeiten aus Politik und Wirtschaft organisiert.
Ein besonderes Highlight der diesjährigen Graz International Summer School Seggau war die
hochkarätig besetzte Podiumsdiskussion unter dem Titel Europe: Countries in
Transformation.
Zu Beginn des Abends bereitete Drs. Michael Kuhn durch einführende Statements den
Boden für eine angeregte Diskussion.
Im Rahmen der anschließenden Podiumsdiskussion thematisierten Patrick Daly,
(Generalsekretär der COMECE), Dr. Jelena Džankić, (European University Institute), Leopold
Maurer (Chefverhandler für den EU-Beitritt Zyperns zur EU und ehem. Delegationsleiter der
EU in Montenegro), Mirko Petrić (University of Zadar), Georg Schneider (GRAWE Bosnien
und Herzegowina) und Cecile Van Schalkwyk (Studierende der Graz International Summer
School Seggau 2014) kulturelle, politische, ökonomische sowie soziale Herausforderungen
und Chancen im Kontext von Transformierungs- und Transitionsprozessen der Staaten in
Europa und darüber hinaus. Mit Fragen, Kommentaren und Anmerkungen beteiligten sich
auch andere Studierende und Professoren der Graz International Summer School Seggau
2014 aktiv an der Diskussion.
59
Geleitet wurde das angeregte Gespräch von Dr. Roberta Maierhofer (Center for InterAmerican Studies, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz).
Über diese Aktivitäten hinausgehend fanden des Weiteren ein Alumni-Treffen, eine geführte
Schlossbesichtigung und eine Weinverkostung auf Schloss Seggau statt. Außerdem konnten
sich die Studierenden im Swimmingpool und bei Volleyball-, Fußball- und
Tischtennisturnieren sportlich betätigen.
60
IMPRINT
Published by Graz International Summer School Seggau
Report Coordination: Blaž Ploj
Editing: Prof. Dr. Roberta Maierhofer
Photo Credits: Kuzma Leshakov; GUSEGG Team
WEBSITE of the GUSEGG 2014
http://international.uni-graz.at/gusegg
61