Research colloquium

The Department of Caucasus Studies regularly organizes an interdisciplinary research colloquium. The colloquium is intended to be a platform for students and young researchers to present and discuss their own work and ideas - from BA theses to projects by young postdocs. It is possible to present ongoing as well as completed works. Presentations come from a wide range of disciplines such as political science, anthropology, sociology, linguistics, literature, folklore studies, history, archaeology, etc. but are all connected by the regional focus on the Caucasus.

The aim of the colloquium is not only to present one’s own research, but also to take a look beyond the own field and thus to get in touch with other disciplines. It is a truly interdisciplinary colloquium, which means that the presentations should be as comprehensible as possible so that participants from other disciplines can follow. Equally important to us is the willingness to listen to and discuss the presentations of the other participants. With these meetings, we hope to enable young scientists to gain experience in presenting scientific topics to a wider audience, receive feedback on their work and establish contact with each other.

The colloquium normally takes place towards the end of the lecture periods (January or February in the Winter Term or June or July in the Summer Term). The time slot for each presentation (including questions) is 25 minutes. Presentations are mostly in English and sometimes in German.

The colloquium is organized in collaboration with our partner institutions in the Caucasus (e.g. TSU, Ilia State University, Yerevan State University) and elsewhere (e.g. Pázmány Péter Catholic University, Budapest). It is open to all students and researchers interested in the Caucasus region, regardless of where they are researching or which institutions they belong to. Depending on the participants, it is organized either as a ZOOM meeting or as an in-person event in Jena.