Centennial, Commemoration, Catastrophe: 1917-2017 as Past and Present in Russia and Beyond

Venue: Villa Vergiliana, Cuma, Italy
Period: 13-16 June 2017

Discussing the Russian revolution is impossible without addressing the causes, legacy, and echoes of this event. The very phrasing is contentious—was 1917 a revolution, overthrow, or accident? Examining the Russian and Soviet response is complex enough, yet the Bolshevik takeover had ramifications for the world. In literature the image of the revolution and the ensuing changes was polarized from the beginning, both in the new Soviet state and abroad. Those in history and the social sciences have long puzzled over interpreting the USSR, its influence on Eastern Europe (and the developing world), and the aftermath of its collapse. In otherwise disparate regions—from eastern Germany to Central Asia and the Russian Far East—1917 and the USSR defined the twentieth century, whether as horrific trauma, utopian promises, or a confounding combination of the two. How our field responds to the Russian revolution will define Eurasian studies for the coming decades, just as experts continue to debate the significance of other cultural markers such as 1905, 1956, and 1989.

The Young Researchers Conference welcomes papers by scholars of literature, history, political science, anthropology, cultural studies, art history, gender studies, religion, and similar areas, as well as fields not traditionally represented at Eurasian studies conferences (for example, Middle Eastern studies, psychology). Papers should examine how 1917 influenced events in politics, economics, literature, religion, art, or culture, whether in the former Second World or beyond its borders.
Some of the papers presented will be chosen for peer review and possible publication in a special volume on 1917 with the journal Revolutionary Russia.

The conference will feature the following keynote speakers:

The Young Researchers Conference welcomes papers from those who are completing their dissertation or have received their Ph.D. (or candidate degree) within the past five years.

Form of the Conference:

Participants will prepare a paper to be circulated well in advance and read by all conference presenters, chairs, and discussants. During the conference presenters will have 15 minutes to summarize their findings. The small number of participants and mix of junior and senior scholars make the Young Researchers Conference an excellent venue for both advancing research projects and networking with leading and upcoming figures in a wide range of fields. The working language of the conference is English.
Submitting Abstracts and CVs.

Please submit by December 1, 2016 a one-page, single-spaced abstract (including tentative bibliography) as well as a one-page, singled-spaced curriculum vitae to Benjamin Sutcliffe, Professor of Russian, Miami University: sutclibm@miamioh.edu

Participants will be notified by January 15 if they have been selected for the conference.


Financial Support:
The conference will be held in Cuma, Italy, which is located on the Bay of Naples, one hour drive from Naples, and an hour and a half from Capri. The train ride from Rome’s Termini train station is about 1-1/2 hours.  The Havighurst Center will provide all meals and 3 nights (shared room) at the Villa Vergiliana in Cuma.
Participants will be responsible for all travel to and from the Villa, including international travel.
Scholars are urged to seek support from their institutions.