In Winter 2018, CES events are focused on themes of populism and regionalism. We are also reflecting on the European revolutions of 1968 as we mark the 50th anniversary of that tumultuous year. A period of intense social, cultural, and political upheaval, it caused sharp change and forceful ruptures in some countries while providing an excuse for violent repression and return to the status quo in others. We will present the events of 1968 through a film series and a round table discussion that will examine what these events meant for social actors then, and how we remember them now. Panelists will address the historical significance of 1968 in France, Germany, and Czechoslovakia, and discuss how these revolutions still shape these societies and Europe as a whole today.

See below for the overview of events. Those that fit into the Populism or Regionalism series are denoted with the corresponding icon. For full details, visit our Events page.

Tue, Jan 9, 4-5:30 pm
WCED Lecture. “The West’s Democratic Challenge: Central Europe’s Variant and What America Can Do.” Daniel Fried, Distinguished Fellow, Atlantic Council; and former National Security Council Senior Director, Ambassador to Poland, and Assistant Secretary of State for Europe. Sponsors: WCED, CES, CPPS. 1010 Weiser Hall.

Tue, Jan 16, 4-5:30 pm
WCED/CES Panel. “Pulling Apart or Hanging Together: Separatism and Nationalism in Catalonia, Scotland, and Northern Italy.” Moderator: Geneviève Zubrzycki, WCEE director. Panelists: Frank Casa, professor emeritus of Spanish; Dario Gaggio, professor of history; Kali Israel, associate professor of history, U-M. Sponsors: WCED, CES. 555 Weiser Hall.

Thu, Jan 25, 4-5:30 pm
Conversations on Europe. “Brexit Means Brexit...But What Does That Mean for Scotland and Ireland?” Scott Greer, professor of health management and policy, global public health, and political science, U-M. Sponsor: CES. 110 Weiser Hall.

Mon, Feb 12, 4-5:30 pm
Conversations on Europe. “Spain’s New Populist Left: An Impossible Hegemony.” Alberto Moreiras, professor of Hispanic Studies, Texas A&M University. Sponsor: CES. 110 Weiser Hall.

CANCELLED
Wed, Feb 21, 12-1:30 pm
CREES Noon Lecture. “Siege Mentalities and Borderland Personalities: The Construction of National Identity in German Königsberg and Soviet Kaliningrad.” Nicole Eaton, assistant professor of history, Boston College. Sponsors: CREES, CES. 555 Weiser Hall.

1968...50 Years Later

Sun, Apr 8, 4:30 pm
CES Film. Marianne and Juliane (Die bleierne Zeit). Margarethe von Trotta, director. In German with English subtitles (106 min., 1981).

Sun, Apr 8, 7 pm
CES Film. May Fools (Milou en Mai). Louis Malle, director. In French with English subtitles (107 min., 1990).

Mon, Apr 9, 7 pm
CES Film. The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Philip Kaufman, director (172 min., 1988).

Tue, Apr 10, 4-5:30 pm
Conversations on Europe. “1968…50 Years Later.” Moderator: Geneviève Zubrzycki, WCEE director. Panelists: Joshua Cole, professor of history; Jindrich Toman, professor of Slavic languages & literatures; Johannes von Moltke, professor of German and screen arts & cultures, U-M. Sponsor: CES. 1010 Weiser Hall.

Populism Series
What fuels the rise of populism in various parts of Europe, Eurasia, and beyond? Speakers in this series will discuss genealogies and varieties of populism, and ponder how 21st-century populisms are related to other key phenomena of our times—globalization, neoliberalism, and pluralism.

Regionalism Series
What is the meaning of regionalism at the twin age of nationalism and European Unionism? Speakers will discuss the political and academic formation and transformation of regions like “Europe,” “Eastern Europe,” or “the Balkans,” and reflect on the implications of reframing regional boundaries for our understanding of various European societies.