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Expert Workshop: Women’s Life Writing and Post-Communism Workshop

Amsterdam - Netherlands
Lead: University of Amsterdam (UvA)

Work Package 2

12. - 13. October 2023

Event Partners

UNIVERSITE D'AIX MARSEILLE - AMU

UNIWERSYTET WROCLAWSKI - UWr

UNIVERSITATEA DIN BUCURESTI - UB

UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM - UvA

STICHTING DUITSLAND INSTITUUT BIJ DE UNIVERSITEIT VAN AMSTERDAM - DIA

problems to be addressed

This expert workshop explored key challenges in the field of life writing and post-communism, with a particular focus on women’s experiences. The event addressed the following issues:

  • Perceptions in post-communist societies: How do cultural and historical contexts shape women's life writing?

  • Embodiment and memory: Exploring how implicit and tacit knowledge is reflected in life writing.

  • Changing perceptions: Investigating the factors that influence shifts in perceptions of identity and experience in post-communist regions.

Target groups

  • Scholars and researchers working on women's life writing and post-communism

  • PhD candidates and early-career researchers exploring related topics

  • Experts in Eastern European studies, feminist theory, and cultural memory

The Questions for this event

  • What shapes perceptions in post-communist women's life writing?

  • What factors influence changes in how post-communist experiences are perceived over time?

presenters - speakers - artists -actors

Dr. Marleen Rensen

NARDIV Lead for Work Package 2 Perceptions, Emotions & Life Experiences

Associate Professor of Modern European Literature (Universditeit van Amsterdam)

Dr. Anna Seidl

NARDIV Team Member for Work Package 2 Perceptions, Emotions & Life Experiences

Academic advisor for German-speaking culture (Universditeit van Amsterdam)

Dr. Catherine Teissier

NARDIV Team Member in Work Package 2 Perceptions, Emotions & Life Experiences

Lecturer in Germanic Studies (Université d´Aix Marseille)

Dr. Cristina Godun

NARDIV Team Member in Work Package 7 Sustainability

Romanian Translator of Polish Literature and Researcher

Dr. Elżbieta Klimek-Dominiak

University of Wroclaw, Poland

Dr. Simona Mitroiu

Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Romania

Diana Painca

Free University Brussels, Belgium

Vicky Fischer

Vrjie Universiteit Amsterdam/Max Planck Institute Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Farida Nabibaks

Aya Dance Theatre, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

The Answers from this event

Understanding Perceptions

The first day explored how cultural, emotional, and historical contexts shape the perceptions of women's life writing in post-communist regions.

Embodiment in Life Writing

The experimental movement workshop demonstrated the power of the body and movement in capturing and conveying tacit knowledge.

Changing Perceptions

Discussions on the second day focused on how perceptions evolve over time, influenced by both external and internal factors.

Collaborative Future Work

Participants agreed to further develop the workshop's insights, with the goal of publishing a joint volume on women's life writing and post-communism.