Invitation to the International Academic Conference; Transformations of Shoah Trauma in Post-2000 Literatures. November 5–6, 2025 | Palacký University Olomouc. Contribution deadline: 31st August 2025
Organizing Partner Institutions
Palacký University Olomouc (Center for Jewish Studies, Department of Czech Studies, Department of Dutch Studies)
Catholic University in Lublin (International Centre for Research of the History and Cultural Heritage of the Central and Eastern European Jews)
Royal Holloway, University of London (Holocaust Research Institute)
Financial Support
European Association for Jewish Studies
Conference Overview
In the eighty years since the end of the Second World War, perspectives on the Shoah have evolved significantly, shaped by geopolitical and social factors. These changes have included a shift from silence towards visibility, fascination, privatization, instrumentalization or, conversely, marginalization. Today, the global debate is revisiting the question of preserving the historical memory of the Shoah on the context of migration and debates on postcolonialism again. As historical distance grows, new generations of writers, artists, and scholars face the challenge of representing this trauma in ways that engage contemporary audiences while remaining anchored in historical memory.
The conference seeks to examine how the legacy of the Shoah continues to shape literary expression today, tracing its global trajectories. It will explore multilingual perspectives, comparative readings, and transnational approaches to the subject. Key areas of focus include:
- Narrative innovation in Shoah literature after 2000
- Intergenerational transmission of trauma
- Ethical questions surrounding representation
- The intersection of Shoah literature with emerging cultural and technologically mediated frameworks.
Additionally, the conference will address the evolving role of testimony in an era without first-generation witnesses, the impact of digital and multimedia storytelling, and the ways in which contemporary literature negotiates the boundaries of fiction, memoir, and historical documentation.
By bringing together scholars and writers, this event aims to foster dialogue on the ongoing relevance of Shoah narratives in global cultural memory and their transformative impact on post-2000 literature across and beyond linguistic and national borders.
Call for Contributions
We welcome submissions on the following topics:
Fiction
- Changing narratives and artistic strategies in post-2000 Shoah literatures from a global perspective
- The role of new genres and modern technologies
- Transnational and cross-cultural shifts
- Shoah memory in literary production (familial, national, second-/third-/fourth-generation, post-memory, multidirectional memory, cosmopolitan memory, non-memory)
- The role of local and national memory institutions in the production, promotion and dissemination of Shoah literature
- Gender and transgenerational perspectives on Shoah representation
- The role of translations and adaptations in the global circulation of Shoah memory
Non-Fiction
- The relationship between collective and individual memory in memoirs and historical accounts
- Tracing roots: historical documents and literary authenticity
- Autobiographical and intergenerational family history literature
- The use of ego documents in memoir writing
- Art, photography and objects as literary devices and narrators
- The integration of new technologies and data sets in historiographical and literary practices
- Ethical considerations in editing, curating, and disseminating these personal narratives for a modern audience
- Shoah memory in relation to other histories of trauma and violence
An author´s reading section will also be included in the conference program
Conference Details
Date: November 5–6, 2025
Venue: Palacký University Olomouc, Czech Republic
Conference Language: English
Presentation Duration: 15-20 minutes
Applications: by 31 August 2025
Contact Person: Ivana Cahová | Email: ivana.cahova@upol.cz
Conference Website: judaistika.upol.cz
The conference is supported by the European Association for Jewish Studies Conference Grant Programme. Accommodation costs (3 nights for non-Czech residents, 2 nights for Czech residents) and a limited travel allowance will be covered for accepted speakers.
Please send the completed application form for the conference by 31 August 2025 to the email address: ivana.cahova@upol.cz
Authors of accepted papers will be notified by email after 15 September 2025.