BRADLEY UNIVERSITY’S
BERLIN SEMINAR
July 5 – 11, 2009
This annual program is intended for professional academics who are interested in German and European studies. Each summer since 1981, Bradley University has sponsored this faculty development seminar for college educators from the United States and Canada. In the 1990s we established a relationship with the European Academy in Berlin-Grunewald (www.eab-berlin.de), a prominent meeting place for educators, journalists, and politicians. The program includes a strong historical component in addition to the primary focus on contemporary changes in politics, society, and culture. All sessions are conducted in English or with a translator.
The seminar will commence in Berlin at the European Academy in Berlin-Grunewald on the evening of Sunday, July 5. During the week leading German scholars, public figures, and authorities will present their ideas to us and invite discussion. There will also be a guided tour of the city and short trips to points of interest, including the Reichstag building with the German parliament. We will also spend a day in Dresden. The seminar ends on Saturday, July 11; but participants may stay at the Academy through Sunday, July 12 at the seminar rate.
Possible topics for discussion will include:
- Sixty years later: commemorating the founding of the two Germanies.
- Twenty years later: commemorating the fall of the Wall.
- Berlin as the cultural capital of Germany.
- Integration or discrimination? The challenges of ethnic and religious diversity.
- Historical memory and national identity in light of the Nazi, Communist, and democratic legacies.
- Germany’s role in world affairs.
- Contemporary German-American relations.
- The state of the European Union.
- The renaissance of German filmmaking.
The cost is $1600 per person. This pays for the program of speakers and excursions (including the trip to Dresden); room and board; and public transportation tickets. Please note that participants are responsible for their air transportation to and from Europe. There is a surcharge of $20 per night for single rooms. A $300 nonrefundable downpayment is due by March 15, 2009.
This year we are offering three fellowships to seminar applicants who are currently assistant professors. Each fellowship will take the form of a $500 discount on the seminar fee. Those who would like to apply should contact johnw@bradley.edu for instructions.
If you are interested in the seminar, please fill out the registration form below, and send it by email or regular post by February 15, 2009 to johnw@bradley.edu or to Prof. John A. Williams, Department of History, Bradley University, 1501 W. Bradley Ave., Peoria, IL 61625. If you need further information, call John Williams at (309) 677-3182.
[John A. Williams is author of Turning to Nature in Germany (Stanford University Press, 2007) and editor of Berlin Since the Wall’s End: Reshaping Society and Memory in the German Metropolis since 1989 (Cambridge Scholars Press).]
BRADLEY UNIVERSITY BERLIN SEMINAR 2009
Registration Form
The German Historical Museum on Unter den Linden.
The Sony Center canopy at Potsdamer Platz, designed by Helmut Jahn.
The Bundestag
Graffiti left on the Reichstag walls by Soviet soldiers in April, 1945
From participants’ evaluations of the Seminar
“I thought the group was very well put together—lots of camaraderie—lots of communication and lots to talk about. The leadership helped make all this possible.”
“Well-balanced program and nicely-paced days.…Speakers across the board were professional and engaged.”
“Very successful seminar. It was a good update on some timely and interesting topics.”
“The seminar director at the European Academy did an outstanding job. He kept us on schedule, but he also responded to our special requests and our different needs. His professionalism and friendliness impressed all the participants in this year’s Bradley Seminar.”
“The seminar was well-organized with an appropriate variety of activities…. This seminar has been particularly valuable for learning more about recent changes in Berlin…I hope to participate in your program again in the future.”
American sculptor Jonathan Borofsky’s “Molecule Man,” commissioned by Allianz and erected in the Spree in 1999. Its three figures symbolize the post-1989 reunification of the districts Kreuzberg, Friedrichshain, and Treptow.
"The European Academy building in Berlin-Grunewald."
"Grunewald Lake, a short walk from the Academy."