The seminar is held in-person, but online attendance is possible via: https://aarhusuniversity.zoom.us/j/67482436575

Abstract

Individual and collective memories form important mental frameworks in which people situate themselves and within which they subsequently act. So memory studies may teach us a lot about the world we live in, also in a literal sense, when it comes to international relations. Van Vree's project deals with the relation between memory discourses, the politics of memory and geopolitics, and the patterns between and even within countries in relation to shared historical events or episodes, the memories of which have a great influence on their mutual relations. These memories can serve as a basis for cooperation, as an expression of a deep sense of destiny, but also for sharp conflicts.

Short Bio

Frank van Vree is AIAS Visiting Fellow and Emeritus Professor of History of War, Conflict and Memory at the University of Amsterdam. Until 2021, he was director of the NIOD Institute for War, Holocaust and Genocide Studies and previously dean of the Faculty of Humanities at the UvA. In 2023-2024, he occupies the Cleveringa Chair at Leiden University. He also held temporary positions at New York University, Erasmus University and the universities of Göttingen, Liège and Skopje. He works in the field of modern history and historical culture. A study on The Netherlands and the memory of the persecution of the Jews 1945-2024 was published in January 2024 (in Dutch).

What is an AIAS Seminar?

The AIAS Seminar is a session of seminars held by the AIAS fellows, AIAS Visiting or Tandem Fellows or by other speakers proposed by the fellows. In each seminar, a fellow will present and discuss her/his current research and work-in-progress for 30 minutes, closing off with 30 minutes for questions, comments and discussion.

All seminars are held in English.