Der Drang nach Osten – Historical and Contemporary Austrian Policies of Expansion

The history-writing in Austrian society, media and education has asserted that Austria has not been involved in colonial practices. That claim is unfounded in light of Austria’s practices of dominating Central, Eastern and Southeast Europe over the centuries. “Der Drang nach Osten,” implies expansion that has spanned from the Austro-Hungarian Empire, to an appropriation within Nazi expansionism, but which can also describe current neoliberal market appropriation and resource expropriation in the same regions. How are the histories of the Habsburg Monarchy, Nazism and the contemporary globalized neoliberal market related, how have they been written and where is their comparison applicable or even implausible? In these conditions of transition and “development,” who are the profiteers and at which cost? How are art, education and culture implied in these complex relations?

Speakers:

Katja Kobolt is a freelance cultural producer and publicist, living and working between Ljubljana and Munich. Projects consist of, among others, the artistic direction of the City of Women, Association for Promotion of Women in Culture. She researches on the political implications on feminist (art) theory and cultural memory.

Hannes Hofbauer lives and works in Vienna. He studied the History of Economy And Social Conditions at the University of Vienna. He is currently working as a journalist and publisher. Since 1989, he has lived in various parts of Eastern Europe and is the author of EU-Osterweiterung. Historische Basis – ökonomische Triebkräfte – soziale Folgen (Promedia Verlag, Wien, 2007).

Lina Dokuzović is an artist and PhD candidate at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Her work analyzes mechanisms of appropriation, privatization and militarization of education, culture, the body and land. She is a researcher on the “creating worlds” project of eipcp: the european institute of progressive cultural policies.

Ivan Jurica is an artist. His work focuses the East-West relationship, its historical and present conditions, social and political implications and the resulting artistic and cultural production. At the “Gender Check” exhibition (MUMOK, 2009) he conceived a series of talks on the topic, and is currently also active within the project “Der Drang nach Osten – Parallels towards Postcolonialism and Coloniality within the Central European Space,” which take place in Bratislava and Vienna.