Representations of a common culture: Approaches towards studying Yugoslav cultural history through the prism of diplomatic relations

This course will discuss the complicated notion of a common Yugoslav culture, examining the ways in which the concept was produced, projected and understood in an international setting during the second half of the twentieth century. Focusing on building a solid theoretical foundation in practice and theory, this research-based course will examine the ways in which the idea of a Yugoslav culture appears in the diplomatic archives of the FDR. Throughout the semester, the students participating in the Q-Team will undertake individual archival research in local political archives, focusing on West-German representations and understandings of cultural events in the South-Eastern European country. The course will encourage students to actively engage themselves in this collaborative project and will result in the conception and completion of a common publication detailing the findings of the Q-Team. This seminar is primarily aimed at students wishing to explore their interests in historical research and who wish to gain practical research experience in a cooperative and guided setting.