Global/Transnational Perspectives on Civil Defense from the Cold War Era to the Present Day

Workshop in Zurich with Claudia Kemper

Thu, 3/9/2017 to Fri, 3/10/2017
University of Zurich
KOL G212
Rämistrasse 71
8006 Zurich
Switzerland

International Exploratory Workshop

Organizers:

Silvia Berger Ziauddin (University of Zurich, CH), Sarah Robey (Temple University, USA), Peter Bennesved (Umeå University, Sweden)

The exploratory workshop “Global/Transnational Perspectives on Civil Defense from the Cold War Era to the Present Day” is designed to establish a vibrant new network of scholars focused on the study of civil defense and emergency management. In recent years, scholars in a number of fields, including history, science studies, anthropology, and media studies, have developed new approaches to exploring the global Cold War that embrace the cultural and transnational turns. However, the study of public defense against nuclear weapons – or civil defense – during the Cold War remains bound by national and temporal bias, and does not often cross the boundaries between disciplines.

Taking cues from the recent interdisciplinary efforts of new cold war studies, this workshop aims to unite scholars across academic fields, national borders, and disciplinary methods to create a collaborative cohort of scholars capable of advancing the new research field of global/transnational civil defense studies encompassing the Cold War period till this day. The two-day workshop at the University of Zurich will bring together junior and senior researchers from Switzerland, Sweden, Finland, Great Britain, Germany, Canada, and the United States. Through individual presentations, moderated discussions, and focused roundtable sessions, the workshop will give participants an opportunity to get to know each other’s work while uncovering future avenues for cooperation, including an international publication, collaborative research projects, and a follow-up conference. During the workshop, participants will also formulate strategies for expanding the network to new and emerging scholars and those based in institutions in the Global South.

For the full workshop exposé please see here.