INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH FORUM ON PROTEST MOVEMENTS,
 ACTIVISM AND SOCIAL DISSENT (IFK PROTEST)

The protest movements of the 1960s continue to capture our imagination. The decade is commonly remembered as an era of global change, a historical caesura, culturally as well as politically. In numerous countries, images of protest, generational revolt, countercultural indulgence, sexual liberation, and government repression are circulating in the public perception of those years. However, as archives gradually open, the decade and especially its protest movement increasingly become the focus of historical research. In particular, a new generation of scholars born during or after the sixties are pressing to overcome the stalemate between alternate recollections of former activists and their adversaries. This shift can not only be seen in the field of historiography, but also in disciplines such as political science, sociology, literature, and linguistics which point to a plethora of previously neglected aspects of that decade.

The Interdisciplinary Research Forum on Protest Movements, Activism and Social Dissent (IFK = “Interdisziplinäres Forschungskolloquium Protestbewegungen”) was founded by Joachim Scharloth (University of Zurich) and Martin Klimke (University of Heidelberg) in 2003 to provide a forum for these innovative approaches.

WHAT ARE OUR GOALS ?

• Primarily, we want to provide a forum for young scholars to discuss their ideas and research results.
• In the process, we aim to generate new approaches concerning the historicization and scientific treatment of protest movements and social dissent since World War II.
• By widening the perspective to include a whole range of available sources, methods and research interests, we want to prevent any hasty canonization of events.
• Our debates on content and methodology will thus be complemented by the development of a greater sensitivity towards the various research per- spectives.
• Furthermore, we want to give practical advice about the archival repositories and possible funding opportunities in various countries.
• In this way, we seek to establish a permanent forum for academic exchange among a widening community of young scholars.

WHAT ARE OUR ACTIVITIES?

• The main goal is the further extension of the foundation of our work, namely our interdisciplinary research network which currently includes over 40 affiliates in various European countries and the United States.
• Our internet presence guarantees public transparency and facilitates close communication between affiliates for continuous discussion and mutual exchange.
• In keeping with our idea of an open forum, individual projects or scholars can present their research on our website.
• Our annual conferences, supported events and publications foster discussion among young academics from various disciplines and provide the opportunity to engage in critical debate among peers.
   

IFK-CONFERENCE 2006:

• “Between the ‘Prague Spring’ and the ‘French May’:
  Transnational Exchange and National Recontextualization of Protest Cultures”
  August 25-27, 2006 at the Heidelberg Center for American Studies,
  University of Heidelberg
   

PREVIOUS CONFERENCES:

• „Gelebt, erinnert und erforscht? –
  1968 auf dem Weg vom kommunikativen zum kulturellen Gedächtnis“
  July 9-10, 2004 at the University of Heidelberg with the support of the Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA)
   
• „Maos Rote Garden?
  1968 zwischen kulturrevolutionärem Anspruch und subversiver Praxis:
  Kultur- und Mediengeschichtliche Aspekte der Studentenbewegung.“
  February 4-5 , 2005 at the German Department of the University of Zurich
   

The success and vitality of our research forum is dependent on the active participation and ideas of its members. We would therefore appreciate your affiliation or are pleased to welcome co-operation of any kind.
 

Founder: Martin Klimke, History Department, University of Heidelberg
             Joachim Scharloth, German Department, University of Zurich

[IFK Home] [Affiliierte] [Konferenz 2004] [Konferenz 2005] [Konferenz 2006] [Publikationen] [Sponsoren] [Kontakt] [English version]

Call for Papers:

EU Marie Curie Conference
and Training Series

“European Protest Movements since the Cold War:
The Rise of a (Trans-)national Civil Society
and the
Transformation
of the Public Sphere”

Workshop I:
“Tracing Protest Movements: Perspectives from Sociology, Political Sciences and Media Studies”

November 25-27, 2006
Department of Communication and Media Studies, University of Halle-Wittenberg,
Germany
 

Workshop II:
“Designing a New Life: Aesthetics and Lifestyles of Political and Social Protest”

March 7-10, 2007
German Department, University of Zurich, Switzerland

Further Information