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CfP: Consuming and advertising – Eastern Europe revisited

Call for Papers for a joint conference of VOH and HI to be held in Marburg, Germany on 4th-5th of March 2021.

Call for Papers
Joint Conference of Verband der OsteuropahistorikerInnen e.V. (VOH) and Herder Institute (HI)

Consuming and advertising – Eastern Europe revisited
2021, March, 4th -5th, Marburg


Since the offset of industrialization and intensified urbanization in the 19th century, consumer cultures have developed as a feature of modern societies. In earlier epochs, however, different forms of consumer cultures existed already. Even if consumer cultures are transnational phenomena, we can find different forms “nationalized” by a given society. Consumption in Eastern Europe is often associated with shortage and queuing, but even during socialism consumer cultures have developed as recent studies show. Advertising which for a long time seemed to have been absent under socialism is a related field of study: which forms and media of advertising existed, which open or hidden messages were transported, which functions did advertising have under socialism? Social differentiation, gender and materiality are connected subjects. All in all, consumption and consumer cultures as well as advertising can be seen as indicators for the attitudes and values of a society.

The organizers invite up to 15 scholars working on consumer cultures in Eastern Europe. Transnational and comparative studies (East-West, East-South, East-global etc.) are highly welcome. The organizers are planning to edit a selection of papers after the conference.

A proposal of maximum 300 words and a short biography with a list of (selected) publications and areas of research should be submitted in a word (docx) document by 31 August 2020 to:

» download the complete Call for Papers (pdf)