1996, Warsaw (EAAS conference) – “American Culture and Its Impact: 1946-1996”;

1998 Conference: Teaching American Studies in Central and Eastern Europe

Between 24 and 26 September 1998 Department of American Literature and Culture in Lublin organized a conference “Teaching American Studies in Central and Eastern Europe” in Pulawy. 40 participants from Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Estonia, Lithuania, Poland, Holland, Germany and the United States attended 3 days of plenary lectures and workshops presented and led by European and American scholars, including Heinz Ickstadt, the presiding officer of EAAS, Rob Kroes, former EAAS president, Jay Mechling (UC, Davis), Norman Yetman (University of Kansas), Agnieszka Salska (University of Lodz), Kate Delaney (US Cultural Attaché, Warsaw), Jerzy Durczak (Maria Curie-Sklodowska University), and Jerzy Kutnik (Maria Curie-Sklodowska University). The conference was made possible by generous grants from USIS in Warsaw and Maria Curie-Sklodowska University. The majority of both participants and organizers agreed that the conference was a success and that there was a continuing need for such events. A similar conference is planned for the next year.

1999 Conference: Nationhood and Citizenship

Organizing September workshop-conferences for young scholars from former Eastern Block countries becomes a bit of a tradition in the Department of American Literature and Culture at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University. Titled “Nationhood and Citizenship,” this year’s meeting
masterminded by Prof. Jerzy Durczak, the Department chair, and invaluably supported by American Embassy’s USIS again took place in Pulawy between 22 and 25 September.
The conference organizers were again honored to host Prof. Heinz Ickstadt (J.F. Kennedy Institute, Berlin) and Prof. Rob Kroes (University of Amsterdam), the current and former executive officers of European Association for American Studies, whose lectures were so much liked last year. This time both speakers discussed various concepts of national identity in contemporary American literature and culture. The guest lecturers from the United States, Prof. Eric Sandeen (University of Wyoming) and Prof. Roy Rosenzweig (George Mason University), pondered over the perceptions of space and history in American culture. Prof. Piotr Skurowski (University of Warsaw), the only Polish lecturer, analyzed the national identity of Afro-Americans in Europe. The conference participants represented universities and colleges from Belarus, Ukraine, Estonia, Russia, Czech Republic, Bulgaria, Romania, Slovakia, and Hungary. Additionally, we hosted a few young scholars from Germany and Poland. It was really good to see some of those who participated in the 1998 conference return, which may only be taken as a good sign. Traditionally, apart from lecture and panel discussions, we also had an opportunity to exchange views and impressions in a more informal environment of a hunting lodge near Pulawy.

2000 Conference: Revisiting the American Century

“Revisiting the American Century” was the third in the series of workshop-conferences for young scholars from former Eastern Block countries. Organized by the Department of American Literature and Culture at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University and supported by the American Embassy, the event, as usual, took place in Pulawy, in the Sybilla conference center. The conference has hopefully become a fixture, and so (hopefully, too) have Prof. Heinz Ickstadt (J.F. Kennedy Institute, Berlin) and Prof. Rob Kroes (University of Amsterdam), two former executive officers of European Association for American Studies, who have been coming to Pulawy ever since the series was initiated. Other guest lecturers included Prof. Mick Gidley (University of Leeds), Dr. Agnieszka Graff (American Studies Center, Warsaw) and Prof. Jerzy Kutnik (Maria Curie Sklodowska University). The conference participants represented universities and colleges from Belarus, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Moldova, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine, and Poland. Apart from lecture and panel discussions, the participants could relax during an afternoon trip to the nearby Kazimierz Dolny and a bonfire party in the woods near Pulawy.

2001 Conference: What Is An American?

Pulawy, 19-23 September 2001

“What is an American” was the fourth in the series of workshop-conferences for young scholars from former Eastern Block countries. This year’s meeting, organized by the Department of American Literature and Culture at Maria Curie-Sklodowska University and supported by the American Embassy, took place, as usual, in Pulawy between 19 and 23 September.
The conference organizers were again honored to host Prof. Rob Kroes (University of Amsterdam) whose lectures in Pulawy were so much appreciated during previous conferences. Other guest lecturers included Prof. Suzanne Rohr (Free University, Berlin) Prof. Joanna Durczak, Prof. Jerzy Kutnik and Pawel Frelik (Maria Curie Sklodowska University). The conference participants represented universities and colleges from Belarus, Bulgaria, Estonia, Georgia, Czech Republic, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine. Additionally, we hosted a few young scholars from Germany and Poland. Traditionally, apart from lectures, the participants relaxed during an afternoon trip to nearby Kazimierz Dolny and held less formal discussions during a bonfire party in the woods near Pulawy.

2005 The Struggle for Pluralism in America: Religion, Ethnicity, and Shared Power in Political History, Lodz

The Department of American Studies and Mass Media Faculty of International and Political Studies, University of Lodz & The Institute of English Studies Warsaw School of Social Psychology hosted a two-day seminar:
The Struggle for Pluralism in America: Religion, Ethnicity, and Shared Power in Political History
(Lodz, June 8-9, 2005)

The seminar was organized by W. Oleksy and P. Skurowski with Prof. Jeff Kleiman as the principal instructor. Prof. Kleiman’s stay in Lódz and Warsaw was sponsored by the Fulbright Senior Specialist Program.

FORMAT: Each day was divided into roughly two important periods of American history and was designed to present key issues of interest and importance. A lecture with some presentation materials (graphs, charts, maps) preceded each reading to help illustrate the important points. Then followed a discussion of relevant materials and topics and presentations by participants who were expected to read the articles and book chapters before the seminar.

PROGRAM:

Day 1.
Introduction: Uniquely American Politics: The Blend of Decentralization and Federalism
Theme: Emergence of the Anglo-Protestant host culture and the ideal of homogeneity

Readings:

1. “Turning Piety in Hard Cash: The Marketing of Nineteenth-century Revivalism” by Kathryn T. Long from God
   and Mammon: Protestants, Money and Market 1790-1860 Mark Noll ed., Chp.11.
2. “Ethnoreligious Political Behavior in the Mid-Nineteenth Century” by Robert Swierenga in Religion
   and American Values from the Colonial Period to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 7.
3. “Who Elected Lincoln?” by Joseph Schafer in American Ethnic Politics Lawrence Fuchs ed., Chp 3.
4. “The Politics of Piety: Culture and Party” and “The Politics of Realignment: The Cross of Culture”
   by Paul Kleppner from The Cross of Culture, Chps. 2 and 8.
5. “The Cold War” by Richard Polenberg in One Nation Divisible: Class, Race,
   and Ethnicity in the United States since 1938, Chp 3.

Movie viewing followed by a discussion: A Raisin in the Sun

Day 2
Theme: Cultural pluralism and its limitations 1948-present: Issues and Examples

Readings:

1. “Roman Catholics and American Politics 1900-1960: Altered Circumstances and Continuing Patterns”
   by James Hennesy S.J. in Religion and American Values from the Colonial Period
   to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 13.
2. “Religion and Wisconsin Voting in 1960” by Harry Scoble and Leon D. Epstein
   in American Ethnic Politics Lawrence Fuchs ed., Chp. 9.
3. “Religion, Voting for President and Party Identification 1948-1884” by Lyman A. Kellstedt
   and Mark A. Noll in Religion and American Values from the Colonial Period
   to the 1980s Mark Noll ed., Chp. 16.
4. “Ethnic Politics and the Persistence of Ethnic Identification” by Michael Parenti
   and “The Persistence of Ethnic Voting in Urban and Rural Areas” by Robert Lorinskas
   in The Ethnic Factor in American Politics Brett W. Hawkins and Robert A. Lorinskas eds.
5. “White Protestants in the Class Structure” and “White Protestants in the Civic Arena”
   from White Protestant Americans: From National Origins to Ethnic Group
   by Anderson, Chps 11 and 12.
6. “The Religious Pecking Order” in One Nation Under God: Religion
   in Contemporary American Society by Barry A. Kosmin and Seymour Lachman, Chp. 7.
   “Born-Again Politics” in Prime Time Preachers by Jeffrey K. Hadden and Charles E. Swann, Chp. 7.
7. “Scopes: Who Won?” from Under God: Religion and American Politics by Garry Wills, Chp. 9.
   “Opening and Closing the Door: The Debate over Immigration” and “Church, State and Society”
   from Identity, Community and Pluralism in American Life William C. Fischer,
   David A. Gerber, Jorge M. Guitart, Maxine Sellers eds., Chps. 7, 10.

Prof. Kleiman also gave a series of lectures and seminars both in Warsaw and Lodz on the following topics:

1) The Myth of the Melting Pot

2) Redeemer Nation: An American Obsession

3) Testing Pluralism: American Politics since 1938

4) Religion. Labor and Progressive Reform in Grand Rapids, Michigan

2013 WORKSHOP – Methodologies in American Studies

American Studies Center, University of Warsaw

al. Niepodległości 22, Warsaw

February 14-17, 2013

Overview

Sponsored by: American Embassy, Warsaw                         

Organized by: Polish Association for American Studies, University of Warsaw, University of Wrocław    

2nd Methodologies in American Studies Workshop (September 16-20, 2014)

Methodologies in American Studies is an annual event organized by members of the Polish Association for American Studies and funded by the Embassy of the United States. The 2014 Workshop took place at the University of Wrocław. 21 young scholars from 15 universities in Belarus, Germany Poland, and Ukraine spent five very intensive days discussing a wide range of approaches and theories currently used in American studies, presenting their work in progress, and getting to know each other. They participated in 7 workshop sessions:
· Film Adaptations (Dr. Justyna Kociatkiewicz, University of Wrocław)
· Transnational Literature (Prof. Ruth Mayer, Leibniz University, Hannover)
· Urban Studies (Dr. Aneta Dybska, University of Warsaw)
· Biopolitics/(Post)ecology (Dr. Tomasz Sikora, Pedagogical University, Kraków)
· Fan Studies (Dr. Agata Zarzycka, University of Wrocław)
· Ethnographic Film (Dr. hab. Dominika Ferens, University of Wrocław)
· Ethnographic encounters and writing (Dr. Jan Lorenz, Manchester University).

For each session the participants read texts assigned in advance, and used the sessions to practice the use of new analytical tools.

This year the workshop included a conference session chaired by Professor Ruth Mayer, during which the participants presented their current research, and received extensive feedback from their peers and the workshop instructors. Dr. Anna Czura (University of Wrocław) gave the speakers individual advice on their presentations skills.

· Rafał Modzelewski, Białystok University, “The Automated Other”
· Ewa Maj, University of Wrocław, “The Coup in the Light of Polish Propaganda”
· Anna-Lena Oldehus, Leibniz University, Hannover, “Geocriticism and World Literature – Spaces inside and outside Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah”
· Magdalena Bulińska, University of Gdańsk, “A Methodology of Literary Onomastics?”
· Antoni Górny, University of Warsaw, “Satisfaction: A Discourse on Popular Culture, Politics, and Protest Between Antonio Gramsci and C.L.R. James”

The program included a guided tour of Wrocław, which gave everyone a much needed break in the middle of the week.

Most of the workshop instructors were present throughout the week, so that the participants, particularly those affiliated with universities that offer little institutional support, were able to discuss their projects and get research advice. The evaluations collected at the end confirmed the organizers’ intuition that graduate students and young scholars with PhDs valued the attention they received during the workshop, the affirmation of their work, and the relatively informal atmosphere. It is the intensity of the work and the opportunities for making academic contacts that make small workshops like this worthwhile, the participants said in the evaluations.

Such workshops are also immensely rewarding for the instructors, who see them as a rare opportunity to work with highly motivated and open-minded young scholars, and to share methodological approaches that they themselves find most interesting. That is why this year 5 PAAS members volunteered to help with the organizing and teach free of charge.

Funding for the event came from three sources: participation fees, a small contribution from the Wrocław Department of English Studies, and a Federal Assistance Award from the U.S. Department of State. This Award was used to pay for:
· the accommodation and meals of the Ukrainian and Belarusian participants, who would not have been able to attend otherwise,
· lunches and coffee breaks for the entire group,
· speaker’s fees for three instructors who were non PAAS members, including the keynote speaker,
· travel refunds for the instructors.

The organizers would like to express their sincere thanks to the Embassy of the United States for securing the funding that made this event possible.

2021, Warsaw/online EAAS conference “20/20 Vision: Citizenship, Space, Renewal”