Peter Verovšek Junior Fellow Resident at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften: January‒February 2012 Research topic at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften: »The Role of Memory within European Integration« Project outline: My project examines the role of memory in the foundation of the European communities after World War II. Though the past usually functions as a straitjacket, forcing events into chains of cause and effect, it can also provide the resources necessary for change. Building on twentieth century continental theorists, I argue that period from 1914 to 1945 represents an important historical rupture in Europe. This break discredited existing nationalist narratives, allowing for a rethinking of what the past meant for politics in the present and the future. I argue that memories of Europe’s age of total war provided postwar leaders like Jean Monnet, Robert Schuman and Konrad Adenauer with the cognitive, motivational and justificatory resources necessary to move away from national sovereignty and self-determination towards supranational integration and collective action. (Peter Verovšek) Research partner: On the invitation of Rainer Forst (Professor of Political Theory at Goethe University and speaker of the Cluster of Excellence »The formation of normative orders« at Goethe University), Peter Verovšek’s stay at the Institute is sponsored by the Alfons and Gertrud Kassel-Foundation. Scholarly profile of Peter VerovšekPeter Verovšek is currently doing his doctorate at Yale University. The subject of his thesis is »Memory and Political Community. Remembrance in the European Union«.Main areas of research: Political Philosophy, International RelationsSelected publications:
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