Tübingen International & European Studies Summer School August 2026 on Crisis and Identity

["Students can choose between two study tracks:Study Track A) The EU in Permanent Crises? Perspectives, Challenges, SolutionsThis programme deals with the political and societal dynamics of European integration and with the EU as a unique multilevel political system. The past years have seen the EU facing a lot of criticism from various sides, and a plethora of challenges threaten the community – internally and externally – and what held its societies together for a long time. Hence, courses cover the current challenges Europe and the EU face today: Brexit and the rise of nationalism; political fragmentation and radicalisation; migration, religion and questions of identity; and war.Study Track B) Representing the European Past in Cross-Cultural CommunitiesThis programme delves into the political processes entailed in remembering and forgetting, introduces students to the commemorative landscape of the EU and explores possible solutions to the challenges facing European collective memory or what could be called Europe's culture of remembrance. Sessions will deal with what makes us remember some things while other facets of our lives and historical events are suppressed or hard to recollect. How does what we remember (and what we [choose to] forget) structure the reality that we live in – physically, symbolically, and politically? How is the past used (or abused) to serve the present needs of individuals and collectives in Europe today, where different concepts of identity often times clash with the reality of cosmopolitan communities that are both ethnically and culturally diverse?Both tracksIn addition to the academic programme, we offer all participants German language classes (for beginners [A1] and students who already possess some German skills [A1-A2]), an intercultural workshop that prepares participants for the very diverse setting in which all classes take place, a buddy programme that matches each participant with local students who offer support throughout the duration of the programme (and beforehand), and a rich and varied social programme that offers many opportunities to experience arts, culture, and local student life in one of Germany’s most historical university towns."]