10 June, 2024

Call for Papers is open

The Norwegian Center for Holocaust and Minority Studies (HL-senteret), Norway, and the Institute for Holocaust research in Sweden (IHRS) cordially invites scholars, curators and educators in the field of Holocaust Studies and Education to the conference Holocaust Exhibitions and Memory Culture at Villa Grande in Oslo, Norway, on November 14, 2024.

Scandinavia’s first Holocaust memorial museum, the HL-senteret, opened its main-exhibition in 2006. In June 2023, The Swedish Holocaust Museum opened in Stockholm. This year, the Dutch National Holocaust Museum opened to the public in Amsterdam and HL-senteret began its work towards re-creating a new permanent exhibition. Next year commemorates 80 years since the Holocaust ended, and while there has never been so many Holocaust Museums in the world as today, there are hardly any survivors left to bear witness. The IHRA International Memorial Museums Charter reminds us that memorial museums are responsible to protect the dignity of the victims from all forms of exploitation and to ensure, beyond conventional history lessons, that the interpretation of political events inspires critical, independent thinking about the past. But how can this be done?

We are happy to announce that Professor Emile G. L. Schrijver, General Director of the Jewish Cultural Quarter in Amsterdam and a member of the International Advisory Board of the IHRS, will give the keynote speech on “Developing and opening Amsterdam’s National Holocaust Museum in a politicised era: curatorial challenges and critical choices.” We welcome proposals reflecting on how we can tell the story of the Holocaust today. Should we learn from or about the Holocaust? Who(m) should be included? What is told and what choices do we make? Is an exhibition on a memorial site met with different expectations than an exhibition in a museum? How does the national and transnational memory culture(-s) affect how the Holocaust is exhibited? Acknowledging that the story of the Holocaust is a story of de-humanization, we ask if it is possible to re-humanize the victims and how? Who is telling the story and how can different victim groups be included in telling the story? What role can digital technology take in exhibiting the Holocaust for the future? And, are there best practices which we can learn from?

We welcome paper presentations or poster options. The paper should present new and original research, whereas the poster could present a current exhibition or best practices. If you wish to present a paper or a poster, please submit an abstract of 150-200 words and a short bio via e-mail to the Director of IHRS on karin.kvist.geverts@ihrs.se. Deadline for submission of abstracts is June 28. Confirmation of accepted abstracts will be given end of July. The conference is free of charge. Travel expenses and lodging will be covered for presenters. Read the full Call here: Call_for_Papers_Conference_November_14_2024

BILDTEXT: Photo of the Norwegian Holocaust centre situated in Villa Grande outside Oslo, where the conference will he held.