Jaromír Mrňka (German Historical Inst. Warsaw), Branch Adéla Gjuričová (Czech Academy of Sciences), Ladislav Jackson (Society for Queer Memory), and Věra Sokolová (Charles Univ.) Prague

Time: 17.-19.09.2024
Venue: Prague
Proposals by: 18.02.2024

The workshop aims to explore the living worlds and underworlds of state socialist cities, focusing on gendering and queering current research on the urban history of Eastern Europe under state socialism. It draws inspiration from the intricate dynamics of „living worlds“ and „underworlds“ within the urban landscape of state socialist cities in Eastern Europe. Stemming from exploring urban spaces as manifestations of societal power structures, the concept of „underworlds“ goes beyond the physical confines beneath the city’s surface, encapsulating hidden facets of urban life. Reflecting prevailing values and ideas regarding societal organization, these „underworlds“ serve as fields of power marked by the indelible signs of social inequalities and the majority’s dominance.
This nuanced understanding becomes the foundation for probing into the gendered and queer dimensions of state socialist cities, offering insight into the intricate complexities of urban life during this era. As we delve into these hidden realms, we aim to unravel the interplay between those in control and those under control, shedding light on the obscured facets of urban life and exploring unique strategies urban actors develop in adapting public spaces to their goals. Through this collective exploration, we seek to contribute significantly to the evolving narrative of Eastern European urban history.
The organizers invite submissions from various disciplines that explore the intersections of gender and queerness within the urban history of Eastern Europe during the state socialist era, i.e., of the so-called Eastern Bloc outside the Soviet Union from 1947 to 1991. At the same time, the main emphasis of the contributions should be on the period of late socialism, its possible connections, continuities, and discontinuities with the subsequent post-socialist transformation. Potential topics include, but are not limited to:
1) Gendered and queer spaces in state socialist cities.
2) Gendered everyday life and queer experiences in connection to the diversity of urban populations. Read more and source … (Web)