Summer School "Models of European Civil Societies. Transnational Perspectives on Forming of Modern Societies in Central Europe"

Venues: Torún (Poland)
Period: Jul. 17-22, 2012
Application deadline: May 21, 2012

The subject of the 1st Copernicus Graduate School Summer School are forms and development level of self-organisation of modern societies. The aim is to study the extent to which civil society influences processes of norm creation, conflict design and preservation of tolerance. It concerns societies created in national way being in a process of modernisation. Another aim is to analyze the extent to which civil society serves as a constructive and regulative element of functionality of modern societies.
The main aspects of the work are presented in a comparative way. It should facilitate a comparably intensive access for different social scientists. They are supposed to debate critically on the thesis concernig self-organisation in the modern world. Basing on case studies of Central Europe, they shall also supply meaning patterns for a typology of different ways to a European civil society. Diversity of phenomena in an integrated historic process shall be shown. Such way of working on topics makes a claim of society-related research in which civil society is taken as an explanation pattern and functional imperative. Thus, a dialogue between science and politics can develop.

The research shall be divided into five thematic sections:

1. Civil Society Contours of Nation
2. Tradition und Innovation (Change)
3. Creating Norms and Preservation of Tolerance (Civil Society and State)
4. Civil Society and Foreign Cultures
5. City and Region. Local Perspectives on the Civil Society

Applicants shall be graduated in a discipline of human science and shall have finished his or her studies with very good notes. The subject on which the young scientist works, shall meet the topic of the summer school. Although PhD studies are not obligatory, the candidate shall lead a permanent scientific activity and be able to discuss scientific matters in English and optionally in German.

The summer school is realised within the scope of the project "Central Europe in 21st Century. Politics - Society - Identity" and is financially supported by the Visegrad Fund, City of Toruń and German-Polish Foundation for Science.
The participation is free of charge. The accommodation costs will be carried by the CGS. The travel costs can be partly remunerated.

The filled-in application form must be sent to the following e-mail address: cgs@umk.pl

Copernicus Graduate School
Nicolaus Copernicus University
address: ul. Batorego 39L
87-100 Toruń, Poland
e-mail: cgs@umk.pl
tel.: 0048.606.989.338