7th Gunnar Hering Lecture
The 7th Gunnar Hering-Lecture
Took place on April 25, 2023.
This year's invited speaker was
Prof. Dr. Yura Konstantinova
(Bulgarian Academy of Sciences),
who was followed by
Prof. Dr. Nenad Stefanov
(Humboldt Universität Berlin), with an elaborate response.
“A Hundred Shades of Blue”: Bulgarian Ideas about Greece and the Greeks
The lecture addressed the topic of the mutual perception of neighboring states, in this case Bulgaria and Greece. In direct continuation of Gunnar Hering's work and research on the Bulgarians in the 19th century, this year's speaker focused on the Bulgarian perception of Greece from the second half of the 19th century until the Second World War. The lecture also raised the question of the role of intellectuals and diplomats in the mutual perception and better understanding between nations often seen as centuries-old enemies. The choice of speaker and topic reflects the idea of the Austrian Society for Modern Greek Studies and the cooperating Institute for Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies at the University of Vienna as part of the Gunnar Hering Lectures, as has been proven in recent years. This means that Southeastern Europe is seen as an integral part of European and even global historical developments, with renowned guests being brought in to provide support. The dynamic discussion initially began between the speaker and the commentator and then continued with audience participation. After the lecture, the stimulating discussion continued at a small reception.
This year’s speaker:
Yura Konstantinova studied History and Greek Philology at the Sofia University “St. Kl. Ohridski” and is currently a lead researcher and professor at the Institute of Balkan Studies and Center of Thracology of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. Her Ph.D. focused on Greek diplomacy in the Balkans in the late 19th century (published 2008) and her habilitation thesis on the Greek-Bulgarian national confrontation in Ottoman Macedonia and during the Balkan Wars (published 2014). Her widely published research covers topics in Modern Greek History, Intellectual History of the Balkans from the 19th to the 21st century, Diasporas and Migration. Recent book publications include: The (In)visible Community: Bulgarians in Ottoman Salonica, Istanbul 2021; Bulgaria and Greece in a Labyrinth of Monologues, Sofia 2022 (in Bulgarian).
In cooperation with:
ÖGNS/Austrian Society of Modern Greek Studies
Department of Byzantine and Modern Greek Studies
Faculty of Historical and Cultural Studies of the University of Vienna
Contact:maria.stassinopoulou@univie.ac.at, ioannis.brigkos@univie.ac.at
7th Gunnar Hering Lecture
Von links nach rechts Assoz. Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Röhrlich, Univ. Prof. Dr. Yura Konstantinova, Univ. Prof. Dr. Stassinopoulou
