Euro-Balkan Institute for Social and Humanities Research, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

 

15^th OHRID SUMMER UNIVERSITY

2012

Summer School “Vampires and Vampirism: 
Between Anthropology, Folklore and Popular Culture”

 

to be held 12^th-30^th August, Ohrid, Macedonia

 

- CALL FOR APPLICATIONS -

 

SUMMER SCHOOL DESCRIPTION

The summer school “Vampires and vampirism” will explore the vampire as anthropological and folkloric being who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood). Although vampirism as a mythical and folklore phenomenon, have been recorded in many cultures, the term vampire become especially popular in Europe. It was an influx of vampire superstition from areas where vampire legends were frequent, such as the Balkans and Eastern Europe, where they were known by different names. The most popular vampire, Dracula, carved the modern vampire fiction. The vampire is now globally popular in the horror genre. There is a distinctive vampire genre, with books, comic books, films, video games etc. These and many other themes will be researched during the Summer School.

The main objective of the Summer School is to provide a higher level of knowledge and competence for those who want to upgrade their current academic background and interest in the academic fields of Cultural Anthropology, Theatre and Film Studies, Ethnology and similar. The Summer School is offering the participants a rare opportunity to acquire advanced theoretical knowledge that will complement their further professional and academic carrier related to the mentioned academic research fields.

The Summer School is integral part of Ohrid Summer University (OSU) which is an academic program for young faculty, PhD candidates, postgraduates, researchers and professionals, which offers intensive, problem oriented and research based courses from the domain of social sciences and humanities. OSU was founded in 1998 and has functioned continuously since then, as one of the core programs of the “Euro-Balkan” Institute, involving a significant number of both junior and senior members of academic communities from various countries. To date “Euro-Balkan” Institute, trough OSU program, has organized over 30 summer schools from various areas with over 500 participants, involving more than 100 proffessors. During the 14 years-long period of its existence, OSU has engaged itself in: adequate and effective training of the academic staff, demonstration of successful linkage of state-of-the-art scholarship and effective and innovative teaching, promotion of academic excellence and ability to facilitate creation and sustenance of active networks of academics, as well as collaborative advancement of learning in certain disciplines within the international context. 

Located in the city of Ohrid, the centuries-long cultural metropolis of the Balkan region, OSU encompasses a variety of social and cultural events, provides appropriate locations for outdoor classes and includes educative excursions to the famous archaeological sites and cultural monuments, situated on the shores of the Ohrid Lake. 

 

SUMMER SCHOOL PROGRAMME CONCEPT 

In the course of two and a half week the wide specter of topics that the summer school covers, are to be organized into a programme structured on the grounds of four sessions. Each programme sessions includes morning lectures held by prominent scholars from Macedonia, Europe and SEE.

The theme of this summer school will be the emergence of vampires and vampirism, viewed from multiple perspectives and aspects.

 

• First session:

Course: “vampires and vampirism: local legends vis a vis other parts of the world“ 

Duration:

Three days  

Format:

• a) Interactive lectures, followed by discussion sessions. The first cycle of three lectures will be devoted to the emergence and spread of vampire legends. First; Vampire legends in Europe are dating from the early ninth century and probably are brought by traders who traveled to and from the Orient. Myths about vampires have become very popular in the 15th Century through the most famous person from all "vampires," Vlad Tepes - Dracula.

Second; we will also consider the representations similar to those of perception of the vampires in Europe, from other parts of the world, such as "Jianshi" in China, "Ganshi" in Korea, "Kuonshi" in Japan, "Loogaro" in Latin America, "and asanbosan adgje" in some African countries, etc..

Third, lectures will be on the comparative performances of vampires across different cultures and regions in the world: how they describe as identified as the belief of their creation, as to how people fight and protect themselves from these creatures. Ancient, medieval and modern fiction will be covered within this session.

• b) Afternoon workshops and discussion session aiming at exploring various questions related to the regional legends and stories concerning vampirism.

 

• Second session:

Course: “vampirism in cinema and other contemporary media”

Duration:

Three days 

Format:

 

• a) Interactive lectures, followed by discussion sessions. First part will be devoted to the characters in world cinema from the period of 1990 to 2011. (With a choice of 5-7 films). Those are interesting movies with characters with feature so-called “energetic vampires” (Solar and lunar energy vampire types), compared to film and TV screening, with characters on a theme of "vampires" (Dracula, etc.)..

Second, we will research and address the issue / assumption as whether vampirism or metaphors for the same, as a motif is attractive and present within the local, contemporary Macedonian electronic music (dub, techno, electro, ambient, glitch ...)

Third,  vampirism and satanic lucidity in the Jugoslav Petrovski`s (plays "Eye of the Devil," "Elesnik" "Vase porcelain "). 

• b) Afternoon workshops and discussion session aiming at exploring various issues from visual arts in connection to the local vampire legends.

 

• Third session:

Course: “vampires and similar demonic creatures in folklore”

Duration:

Three days

Format:  

• a) Interactive lectures, followed by discussion sessions. In the third cycle of three lectures will be considered vampires, vampirism and other similar creatures in folklore demonology. First, vampires in oral folklore (tales, songs, traditions, legends) based on written and published in folklore proceedings, magazines, etc.. This includes stories about people who are able to see vampires and other similar demonic creatures and could eventually fight against them. Second, besides there are folk tales, stories and legends that are mentioning vampires, in folklore studies there are also variety of stories about vampires in Macedonia and in other parts of the region. They include stories and records transferred from informants who tell about their experiences of any kind of established contact with vampires and other similar creatures. Third, modern state of hearsay about vampires and the descriptions of their experience can be shown by comparing the records of research about vampires in certain regions. As an illustration results of research of similarities and differences will be presented from the regions in Macedonia and some other regions.
• b) Afternoon workshops and discussion session aiming at exploring various questions related to the local ethnological and anthropological legends concerning vampirism 

 

• Fourth session:

Course: “vampire : legend, fiction and history”

Duration:

Five days

Cycle of five lectures are planned to be held by lecturer from Central and Eastern Europe with emphasis on vampires and vampirism in the folklore of that region. The term vampire emerged in Eastern Europe, especially in the Slavic speaking regions, but the global glory of the term vampire was introduced through the Central and Western European interpretations. The most famous vampire, Count Dracula, emerged from the writings of the Irish author Bram Stoker. The this 1897 novel there have been an explosion of books, movies, comic books, theatre and even operas treating the vampire thematic. All of these popular fiction was mainly influenced by Stoker`s novel and his interpretation of vampirism. The aim of this session of lectures is to deconstruct the popular interpretation of vampirism and eventually to search fresh and even more creative ideas for future fiction in the original legends of the South-Eastern European folk beliefs.

 

DURATION

Two and a half week

 

FORMAT

a) Intensive Lectures and Master classes

b) Afternoon workshops and discussion session

c) Presentations of the participants

d) Preparation of the Seminar Paper 30 days after the completion of attendance at OSU

 

THE PROGRAMME CONSISTS OF SEVERAL FEATURES 

•        In regard to the high standards established by the Euro-Balkan Institute and due to its membership in the Erasmus Charter, the Summer School will grant the participants appropriate certificate with 12 credits (ECTS), applicable in the master studies of participant’s home universities.
•        Memorable social events on the campus and at the Ohrid Lake.  

 

ELIGIBILITY AND FEE

•       Participants should be postgraduate students (preferably MA, PhD student or young researchers) interested in exploring the issues of Cultural Studies, Visual Arts and Humanities and related Studies.
•       Participants from all countries are eligible to participate.
•       Tutition fee: 600 euro.
•       The fee covers tuition and study material during the school, use of library and computer room at the Campus with free internet, tour of the numerous ancient and medieval monuments in the UNESCO protected city of Ohrid located at the shore of the unforgettably beautiful Ohrid Lake. Other arrangements for accommodation, transportation and other expenses should be arranged by applicants on themselves.
•       Note that we offer 20% discount if the participant pay the total fee to 10^th of April and 10% discount if the participant pay the total fee to 1^st of June.
•       Note that we can provide for the interested participants discount prices for accommodation in Hotel Pella where the Campus will be located, near the beach. Ohrid also offers cheap accommodation in private houses
•       Number of students per Summer Institute or Summer School is 20. Please note that a course will not be offered if fewer than 10 students apply by 15^TH of June.
•       Please note that the Second Announcement with the detailed Programme of the Summer Institutes and Summer Schools in the frame of the Ohrid Summer University will follow on 1^st of April 2012. 

SCHOLARSHIP

•       The Institute for Social and Humanities Research "Euro-Balkan" is participating in the Network of Central European Exchange Program for University Studies (CEEPUS). Selected students from the list of institutions in CEEPUS countries (Albania, Austria, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Macedonia, Moldavia, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Serbia, the Slovak Republic, Slovenia and Prishtina) may apply for a CEEPUS scholarship. See the website CEEPUS for details and contact your National CEEPUS Agency. 

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

•       Signing up for the OSU 2012 legally binds the participants to the terms and conditions. If the tuition fee is not paid by the applicants by 15^th of July, their registration shall automatically be rejected.
•       After applications are processed, Euro-Balkan Institute will notify the applicants in writing (e-mail) whether their application has been accepted or rejected.

 

 

Deadline for submitting the application: June 15^th  2012.

Download application here

Contact persons:

Dragana Karovska

Academic Coordinator of OSU

Euro-Balkan Institute

Blvd. Partizanski Odredi 63, 1000, Skopje, Republic of Macedonia

Tel/Fax. ++ 389 2 30 75 570

Email: ohridsummeruniversity@gmail.com 

www.euba.edu.mk      

Coordinator: Jordan Shishovski

Email: Jordan.sisovski@gmail.com