CfA: Autumn School at Narva, Estonia, 1-5 November 2021

Governance, Leadership, Resilience: German and Estonian Experiences in the European Context
CfA: Autumn School at Narva, Estonia, 1-5 November 2021

The Johan Skytte Institute of the University of Tartu invites M.A. and PhD students to apply for the autumn school entitled “Governance, Leadership, Resilience: German and Estonian Experiences in the European Context”, that will take place in Narva, Estonia, on 1-5 November, 2021.

The 2021 school continues the tradition of annual autumn schools launched by Johan Skytte Institute of the University of Tartu as an educational, academic and communicative platform for developing innovative approaches to topical issues in international relations and political studies in Eastern and Central Europe and the Baltic Sea Region. The 2021 school is supported by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Estonia.

The school seeks to explore different patterns of leadership in a crisis-ridden Europe as well as the different instruments of governance conducive to strengthening societal resilience and enhancing social responsibility as indispensable elements of governmental techniques and policies. The school will in particular aim to discuss and brainstorm on how the pandemic crisis has required new tools of governance, public management and administration, and new type of leadership in Europe. Five different autumn school sessions will serve the purpose of analytically juxtaposing different resources for leadership through governance and initiate an exchange of opinions in this realm.

The plan of classes includes a number of nodal topics:

  • Resilience, Governmentality and Practical Biopolitics
  • Europe’s Borders and Crises: Visual Politics Session
  • Normative Leadership and the Human Rights Agenda
  • Right-wing Populism: Playing the Russian Card?
  • Mediatized Discourses on Europeanization and Their Representations in Estonian Public Narratives
  • A German Perspective on Civil Society Support in the Eastern Partnership Region
  • German Crisis Management and Prevention Mechanisms: a Policy Overview
  • The War in Ukraine: A European Crisis in the Information Sphere?
  • Europe’s Crises and Experiences of Leadership

The learning process consists of lectures and interactive classes based on students’ participation, including topical presentations and group-based debate. Basic knowledge in social, cultural and / or political theories, along with skills in comparative and critical analysis, as well as independent thinking are welcome and strongly encouraged. The school working language is English. Participation is equal to 4 ECTS credits, which will be confirmed by a certificate awarded to each student upon successful completion of the School.

Narva is often considered as a bridge where East and West meet and is therefore perfectly suited as a physical location where to discuss the topics of the School.The first four days of the school take place in the border town of Narva, at the University of Tartu Narva College. Narva is often considered as a bridge where East and West meet and is therefore perfectly suited as a physical location where to discuss the topics of the school. The last day of the school will take place in Tartu, at the Johan Skytte Institute of Political Studies, where it merges with a research seminar on the topic of “Europe’s Crises and Experience of Leadership”. The seminar is organized together with the Baltic-German University Office and supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic Germany.

Participants are expected to arrange their travel to and from Estonia by themselves, while accommodation and catering at the venue will be covered by the organizers. The Johan Skytte Institute will provide travel information and advice, as well as issue visa invitations for those requiring a Schengen visa (normally visas are free of charge for students participating in exchange programmes).

M.A. and PhD students interested to participate are asked to submit their CVs and motivation letters explaining their interest in the topic and its relevance for the applicant’s future career.

Applications should be sent by September 15, 2021 to jaak.erik.laja@ut.ee

This project of the Baltic-German University Liaison Office is supported by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with funds from the Foreign Office of the Federal Republic Germany, the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Tallinn, and Council of the Baltic Sea States (CBSS).

Forwarded by: Maili Vilson, CEURUS Head of Communications, maili.vilson@ut.ee