f.l.t.r.: Stefanie Haupt (Bielefeld), Lena Strid (Lund) Julian Giesecke (Bielefeld), Kirsten Barnard (York), Joshua Ravenhill (York), Daniele Toro (Bielefeld), Ina Kiel (Bielefeld), Frances Long (York). Image: Stefanie Haupt

From 13 to 15 June the annual PhD Conference in History: Lund–York–Bielefeld took place in York, UK.

Introducing the own research to colleagues

During the conference the group of young researchers from three universities introduced and discussed each other’s doctoral projects. Four participants came from Bielefeld. One of them was Julian Giesecke. „The topics of the projects dealt with lots of aspects of historian research”, he says. „But most of them focused the Middle Ages.” The focus relates to the place the conference took place: The Uaniversity of York is well-known for its Centre for Medieval Studies, so many of the researchers here are connected to the field.

For Julian Giesecke a highlight of the conference was the colloquium with Marc Ormrod, professor Emeritus of History at the University of York. Ormrod described the migration movements in England in medieval times and made comparisons to the situation today. “His lecture was a good composition of information and entertainment”, says Giesecke.

Exploring York

However the conference guests get the chance to be outside the university. With a guided city tour and a visit to the National Railway Museum the participants got the chance to explore York’s history. The visit of a medieval ale house in the evening gave the chance to explore history, combined with socialization.

The participants from Bielefeld and their contributions:

• Ina Kiel: Fernand Desprès. A Militant Activist in International Circles during the Interwar Period

• Julian Giesecke: Die griechische Ethnographie des Nordens in römischer Zeit (2. Jh.v. bis 1. Jh.n.Chr.)

• Stefanie Haupt: 'Völkische Ortungen und Germanische Himmelskunde'. Scientific debates on the possibility of a 'Germanic skylore' during the interwar period in Germany

• Daniele Toro: Radikalnationalistische Netzwerke im zentraleuropäischen Raum 1917-1934: Verflechtungsprozesse des Faschismus als transnationale soziale Bewegung

The young researchers were accompanied by Prof. Dr. Helga Lutz, Prof. Dr. Martina Kessel and Dr. Levke Harders from the department of history of Bielefeld University.

Further information

As part of the Lund-York-Bielefeld-cooperation there is also the Desk-Exchange. In this program the doctoral researcher can switch offices with their colleagues from the other universities study and research in a different city for a couple of weeks.

More information about the Lund-York-Bielefeld-Cooperation and the Desk-Exchange 2017:

Von Lund & York nach Bielefeld

Von Bielefeld nach Lund