The turmoil of the mid-twentieth century saw young people mobilized for action across Europe in an unprecedented manner. At the same time, young people increasingly became a target of state legislation, (mass) organizations and other institutions. Rallying Europe seeks to approach the interwar and Second World War period by looking through the lens of age and gender. In doing so, we reveal how adult perceptions of youth and gender framed young men and women’s lives and their roles in society. Furthermore, we explore how these perceptions collided with youth agency, probing the specific age- and gender-related dynamics of empowerment and organization.

This workshop approaches interwar history by looking through the lens of age and gender as interdependent categories of analysis. In doing so, we reveal how adult perceptions of youth and gender framed young men and women’s lives and their roles in society. Furthermore, we explore how these perceptions collided with youth agency, probing the specific age- and gender-related dynamics of empowerment and organization.

By zooming in on the concrete young actors and the institutional settings that limited their scope of action, processes of subjectivation will be contrasted with institutionalized attempts to control and lead the young. As such, we contribute to a global academic discussion on age, gender, the lifecycle, and intersectionality and add to more recent studies of youth that go beyond the analysis of youth organizations.

Read more here: zeitgeschichte.univie.ac.at/news-events/detailansicht/news/10-116-rallying-europe

Thursday 10th June, 15:00-19:30 CET/14:00-18:30 BST
Friday 11th June, 14:00-19:30 CET/13:00-18:30 BST

Participation is free. Zoom details will be shared with those registered prior to the workshop.

For any queries, please contact Katharina Siebert and Barnabas Balint on rallyingeurope.zeitgeschichte@univie.ac.at