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The Wittenberg Summer School 2008
“Vigorous Executive: The President in American Politics and Culture”
Leucorea Foundation, Lutherstadt Wittenberg
August 10–16, 2008
 In November 2008, the United States of America will elect a new President, a good occasion to take a closer look at historical, political and cultural issues surrounding the U.S. Presidency. Through lectures and intensive workshops, participants will discuss candidates, platforms, media coverage and voter behavior in the 2008 race for the White House. But the Summer School will go beyond contemporary politics. We will explore the constitutional role of the Presidency in U.S. history, discuss the beginnings of mass democracy, the changing influence of women voters, the way public memory reflects history and politics in literature and popular culture and take a closer look at some case studies such as John F. Kennedy's impact on U.S. politics and election campaigns.
The conference language will be exclusively English. Attendance will be limited to 30 participants.
About the Wittenberg Summer School
Student Activities
Students are expected to stay throughout the whole program. Close exchange with faculty and organizers is an essential part of the program. Students will be working in groups and alone on a specific aspect of the conference, will develop a work schedule, compile a bibliography and produce an excerpt for a scholarly paper. Each group will discuss individual projects among themselves and with their group advisors, A final plenary presentation will sum up the groups' work. Students are encouraged to finish their research projects over the summer and submit them to be published as an E-journal on the ZUSAS Web site.
Archive: Students' E-Journals 2007
Preparation for the Summer School
An e-reader intended to help participants prepare for the conference will be available shortly before the conference. Links to relevant websites will be posted over the coming months.
http://usinfo.state.gov/journals/itdhr/1007/ijde/ijde1007.htm
E-reader: http://usa.usembassy.de/classroom/presidency.htm 
Organizers
The Wittenberg Summer School is jointly organized by Professor Dr. Hans-Jürgen Grabbe, Zentrum für USA-Studien (ZUSAS) der Universität Halle-Wittenberg,
Professor Dr. Holger Kersten, Otto von Guericke-Universität Magdeburg, and Dr. Martina Kohl, U.S. Embassy Berlin.
It is supported by the German Association of American Studies.
Faculty
Senior faculty from U.S. and German universities will present papers and function as advisors in a workshop setting:
Dr. Andreas Etges, Professor of American History at the John F. Kennedy Institute for North American Studies of the Free University of Berlin
Dr. Hans-Jürgen Grabbe, Professor of British and American Studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg and Director of the Center for United States Studies at Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg
Dr. Holger Kersten, Professor of American Literature and Culture at Magdeburg University
Dr. Martina Kohl, Cultural Affairs Specialist at the U.S. Embassy in Berlin and frequent guest professor at Humboldt University Berlin
Dr. Janet Martin, Professor of Government at Bowdoin College
Dr. Mark Rozell, Professor of Public Policy at the School of Public Policy, George Mason University
Participants
The organizers encourage students from all disciplines, especially American Studies, Cultural Studies and the Social Sciences, from all German Universities to apply to the Summer School. Students from neighboring European countries will be selected through a special application process in coordination with local U.S. Embassies and other partners.
Costs
The cultural office of the U.S. Embassy Berlin funds the program, room and board for participants and faculty. Participants will have to cover a registration fee of EURO 30 and their travel costs.
Internet & Wireless LAN
Two fully equipped computer labs provide access to the Internet. Additionally, participants can connect to the Internet with their own laptop computers using the LEUCOREA's Wireless LAN. Therefore — and for their own convenience — participants are encouraged to bring their laptop computers to Wittenberg (although not required).
Applications
Applications for the Summer school will be accepted starting April 1, 2008. Please see the attached application form (.pdf or .doc). Students are expected to write an application letter outlining their interest in the topic and a possible research topic. Your application must be received by ZUSAS no later than June 15, 2008. Confirmations will be sent out in June.
Contact
Zentrum für USA-Studien (ZUSAS)
Martin-Luther Universität-Halle-Wittenberg
06099 Halle (Saale)
Phone +49. 345. 552 35 47
Fax: +49. 345. 552 72 72
E-mail hildebrandt@zusas.uni-halle.de
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