Masaryk University in Brno invites you to participate in an international conference that will be held at the Hans Belting Library, Department of Art History, Masaryk University in Brno, Czech Republic, from September 29 to 30, 2025. The organisation will cover the costs of accommodation, meals, and offer reimbursement – within reasonable bounds – for travel expenses. This conference is organised within the project “Demarginalizing Medieval Georgia: History of Art History between Colonial Perspective and Nationalist Appropriation (1921–1991)”, Marie Skłodowska Curie Actions.

The organisers invite contributions for an international conference exploring the role of medieval cultural heritage in the construction of new identities across the states of the former Inter-Imperial zone (Russian, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian) and the Soviet geopolitical orbit, from the last quarter of the 19th century to the fall of Soviet Union. While medieval is a fluid term – a historiographic myth in itself, varying across regions and historiographies – this conference will focus on monuments, sites, and objects traditionally linked to the medieval past that have played a crucial role in modern territorial and national disputes.

Although the core of the conference is expected to focus on contested historiographies, the organisers also welcome papers that bring a perspective of hope, highlighting peace-building initiatives in these regions through mutual respect for cultural heritage.
They welcome submissions from scholars across disciplines, including art history, history, heritage studies, cultural studies, and related fields. Please submit an abstract (300 words) and a short bio (150 words) by March 30, 2025 to alzbeta.filipova@phil.muni.cz.

More information: https://www.academia.edu/127565142/Shared_and_Contested_Heritage_in_Greater_Eastern_Europe_and_the_Caucasus_1870_1991