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Panel Discussion: Germany-Poland-Ukraine: The ‘Colonial’ as a Factor Influencing Foreign Policy

Berlin - Germany
Lead: UWr - Uniwersytet Wroclawski

Work Package 3

23. October 2024

Event Partners

UNIWERSYTET WROCLAWSKI - UWr

UNIWERSYTET SZCZECINSKI - USz

UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM - UvA

problems to be addressed

The Conference (P)Ostkolonialismus – Postcolonial Perspectives on Poland, Ukraine and Eastern Europe at the Pilecki-Institut Berlin invited contributions on researchers from various academic disciplines to discuss the potential benefits and challenges of postcolonial and decolonial perspectives on the historical and contemporary entanglements of the areas under study. The NARDIV expert panel examined how (post)colonial perspectives shape foreign policy dynamics and discourses between Germany, Poland, and Ukraine, particularly since 2004, with a special focus on:

  • Postcolonial Approaches in Foreign Policy: Examining how (post)colonial frameworks have shaped foreign policy relations between Germany, Poland, and Ukraine since 2004, with a historical perspective dating back to 1989.

Target groups

  • Historians

  • Philologists

  • Lawyers

  • Political scientists

The Questions for this event

  • How can postcolonial theories enhance the analysis of foreign policy between Germany, Poland, and Ukraine?

  • What role do (post)colonial narratives play in shaping perceptions and tensions among these countries?

  • How has the war in Ukraine impacted postcolonial discourse in Eastern Europe?

presenters - speakers - artists -actors

Prof. Beata Ociepka

NARDIV Lead for Work Package 3 Postcolonialism cosmopolitanism vs National Interests

Professor and Head of Public Diplomacy Lab (Uniwersytet Wroclawski)

Dr. Christian Noack

NARDIV Lead for Work Package 4 Challenges of Digitisation and misinformation

Professor for East European Studies (Universditeit van Amsterdam)

Prof. Dr. Pierre-Frédéric Weber

NARDIV Team Member in Work Package 3 Postcolonialism cosmopolitanism vs National Interests

Professor for History and Political Science (Uniwersytet Szczecinski)

The Answers from this event

Re-examining Eastern European Relations

The panel highlighted the role of (post)colonial narratives in shaping foreign policy and tensions among Germany, Poland, and Ukraine.

Impact of the War in Ukraine.

The conflict has intensified discussions on decolonization and national identity in Eastern Europe, influencing the perception of Russia and the EU

Germany’s Role in Polish Discourse

Insights were shared on how Germany’s historical role has influenced modern perceptions, though this has been underexplored in foreign policy studies.