PROTEST!
/ call for papers

Individuals and groups respond to perceived injustices and grievances with protest. The forms of expression are diverse and interact with the conditions defined by social and political opportunity structures. Protest is a central instrument of social negotiation processes related to participation and co-determination. It thrives on publicity and attention, yet it is – especially in authoritarian contexts – often accompanied by less visible practices of resistance that take place in everyday life or in subversive, hidden forms.

Protest manifests itself not only in rallies and marches but also in artistic forms of expression: in the visual arts, in literature, and in performance. Numerous narratives refer to the evaluation and appropriation of rebellious behaviour.

The conference aims to focus on various forms of protest and resistance, their structural conditions and consequences, as well as their (current and retrospective) legitimization vs. condemnation. While protest is a global phenomenon, we are focusing on contributions that explore its manifestations in Central and Eastern Europe across different historical periods (from the early modern era to the present). We will also accept papers addressing theoretical and methodological aspects of protest.

The event is interdisciplinary in nature, as is the topic itself, and encompasses the disciplines of history, political science, cultural anthropology, sociology, literary studies, musicology, or art history. Contributions may be historical or contemporary in nature.

Possible approaches and topics:
/ What protest can be – interpretations and assessments – from peaceful movements of participation and emancipatory self-empowerment to violent or radical forms of resistance
/ Negotiation processes and the role/effectiveness of protest initiators
/ Political substructures as resistance to state structures
/ Petitions and other forms of civic engagement
/ Cross-border protest and its cross-border spread
/ Exclusionary and discriminatory protest movements
/ Narratives and perspectives, e.g., emancipatory stories of the oppressed versus narratives of uprisings
/ Forms and formats of protest – material, symbolic, performative
/ Visual and acoustic dimensions of protests – symbols, sounds, images
/ Emotions and affects in protests
/ The role of violence and repression in the dynamics of protests
/ The appropriation of political and cultural protests

Timeline
/ Call for online presentations until January 10, 2026: https://conf.isgv.de/conftool/
/ Notification of acceptance: January 31, 2026
/ Conference: June 22–24, 2026

Practical information
/ The conference will be held in English
/ Abstracts should not exceed 300 words
/ Accommodation and travel expenses may be reimbursed for a limited number of participants; please indicate this need in your application
/ If you have any further questions, please contact us by email: protest2026@isgv.de

Organizers | Johann Gottfried Herder-Forschungsrat (Johann Gottfried Herder-Research Council) // Europejskie Centrum Solidarności (European Solidarity Centre)

Organizing team | Paulina Gulińska-Jurgiel, Jörg Hackmann, Piotr Kocyba, Grzegorz Piotrowski, Ira Spieker