Writing (Past) Empires as National Histories – Legacies of Colonialism and Violence in the Netherlands and Germany – in an international comparative context (9-11 June 2026, Münster).
In 2025-2026, the RSPH Summer School will focus on historiographical approaches to Dutch and German colonialism, with particular attention to the interplay between historical narratives and contemporary societal and political engagements with colonial legacies.

Central themes include experiences of violence, systems of domination in international politics, and the positionality of the historian: who can – or should – write colonial history? Participants will also examine how national histories presented in schools and museums might integrate the colonial past, and what role states or societal actors play in shaping (post)colonial identities.

The Summer School invites Research Master students to engage with recent developments, debates, and dilemmas in the Netherlands and Germany, and to situate these discussions within a broader international scholarly context.

The Summer School is organised in conjunction with the Association of Political History’s international conference, Dynamizing and Decentring Empires: A Recalibration of the History of the Political, which will take place immediately afterwards in Münster, Germany (11-13 June 2026). Participants are warmly encouraged to attend both events.

Practical information
Travel and accommodation costs for the Summer School (9-11 June) will be fully covered. In addition, accommodation costs for the conference period (11-13 June) will be covered for participants who choose to attend the conference as well.

Places are limited. Priority will be given to members of the OPG.