Skip to main content
This course is archived
Course date
June 30–July 11, 2003
Location
Budapest
Application deadline
Course delivery
In-person

The course intends to explore a most topical issue connected with the Middle Ages: its "use" and "misuse" in the political and cultural discourse–as well as activity - of our times, with special reference to Central and Eastern Europe. The notion of a "new Middle Ages" has a slightly different meaning in this region. Here national self-identification is heavily leaning on the medieval past, as for several nations that was the (real or legendary) age of "greatness" followed by a decline, incorporation into multinational empires, dismemberment, and "foreign rule". Conversely, events of cooperation in the region, fruitful in the remote past, are called upon to justify and underwrite recent attempts at the same. Finally, the diverse attitudes to surviving (or unearthed) remains of the medieval past have acquired crucial symbolic value for internal and external forces alike. Just as totalitarian governments have destroyed or glorified monuments according to their preference (at home and abroad), so contemporary ones make a show of ancient jewels or castles or bomb the bridges of their enemies. In a less violent and manipulated manner, the presentation, and (re)construction of past edifices and objects serve definite political and ideological aims.

Without opting for some idealistic "objectivity", the seminars and round-tables of this course will explore the bases of this kind of "instrumentalization". It will discuss the performance of experts in this field, supportive or critical, and the implications of governmental and non-governmental policies concerning the future of cultural heritage, history writing, and teaching in the region. A comparative perspective, including Western Europe, may be able to place all this in a wider historical and intellectual context.

Completed CEU Summer University Application Form

We strongly advise the use of Google Chrome to enable the full functionality of the form.

Notes:

  • You may apply to a maximum of two summer courses. In case of being admitted, you can only attend both if the two courses do not overlap in time.
  • If you applied to CEU before, please use your existing login and password to start a new application. If you do not remember your password from last year click on Forgotten Password. With technical problems, bugs, or errors related to the online application forms please contact the CEU IT Help Desk.
  • Right after login, please select the ”Summer University” radio button from the "Type of course" list, and leave all other fields empty.
  • All application materials must be submitted with the online application form(s). Materials sent by postal mail, electronic mail, or fax are not considered.
  • The maximum allowable file size for upload is 2MB per file and the acceptable file formats are PDF, JPG, and JPEG. Ensure all security features (e.g. passwords and encryption) are removed from the documents before uploading them.
  • Applications cannot be edited after submission. Please submit your application only when it is 100% final and complete.
  • Further user instructions for the online application are included in the form itself. Should you have questions regarding the application form, check the relevant Frequently Asked Questions.
  • Applications submitted after the deadline will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Inquiries

If you need help or more information during the application process, please feel free to contact the SUN staff via email.

Notification

The SUN Office will notify applicants about the selection results in April. Please check the 'Dates and deadlines' section on the relevant course websites for notification deadlines planned earlier or later. The final decision is not open to appeal.