Tools and Objectives of Genocidal Social Engineering. Man and the State in the Face of Totalitarianism | call for papers - Instytut Pileckiego
03.12.2020 (Thu)
Tools and Objectives of Genocidal Social Engineering. Man and the State in the Face of Totalitarianism | call for papers
We would like to invite you to submit an application for the international scientific conference organized by the Pilecki Institute, which will be held as part of the "Lemkin 2018-2023" project.
The unprecedented scale of the murders committed against civilian populations during World War II had its source in totalitarian ideologies. The organizers of the next international conference planned by the Pilecki Institute have as their objective to shed more light on the nature of these crimes, with a focus on the German industry of death and the highly-organized and deliberate Soviet system of opression and extermination. Further, our meeting will be an occasion for researchers to engage in a scholarly reflection on the approaches and actions of individuals, and on the functioning of organizations and state structures under occupation.
This year, we intend to focus on an analysis of case studies which were developed on the basis of individual research and illustrate the research theses formulated by participants of the conference. Case studies can include other examples of the policies of terror, genocidal atrocities or acts that were referred to in such a way, especially in the 20th century. We invite prospective contributors to present both issues of state policy, and the various approaches adopted on the microscale (case studies) and the macroscale (social attitudes) – from the moment of invasion through individual heroism to organized resistance.
The term genocide continues to spark debate and even controversy as to its applicability to the mass crimes committed among others during World War II. Starting from the Polish experience of facing two totalitarian regimes in the 20th century – including the Stalinist regime, which is especially important from the point of view of the countries of Central and Eastern Europe – we seek and encourage various perspectives on genocide studies and their juxtaposition.
TOPICS
• From Ideology to the Tools of Genocide.
• German Camps in Europe.
• German Camps in Occupied Poland.
• The German Policy of Genocide in Occupied Poland.
• Stalinist Terror and Examples of Genocide. From the Holodomor through Political Purges to Katyn.
• Strategies and Forms of Resistance against the Genocide Unleashed by Totalitarian Regimes on Europe.
• Actions Undertaken by States, Organizations and Individuals in the Face of Genocide.
• The Stance of Individuals Towards TotalitarianTerror.
• Totalitarian States and Genocidal Occupations in the Light of International Law.
• Polish Sources for Research into Genocide.
ORGANIZATIONAL INFORMATION
• The conference will be held in Polish and English(simultaneous interpreting will be provided).
• Various forms of virtual participation will be possible (video recordings, on-line videoconferences).
• Time allocated for individual presentations: 10–15 minutes.
• The conference is planned as a virtual event, and will essentially be held over the internet (Zoom communicator). The organizer admits of the possibility of holding apart of the conference in a conventional format in Warsaw for those who will be interested, however provided that this will not be precluded by the pandemic.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
Applications should be sent in by e-mail using the application form (attached hereunder).
• Candidates from Poland are requested to complete the form in Polish, unless Polish is not their mother tongue. In this event were quest that the form(s) be completed inEnglish.
• The deadline for submission of applications expires on 15 October 2020. Applicants shall be informed of the acceptance of their applications.
• Notification of acceptance for participation in the conference shall be provided by the Pilecki Institute by 25 October 2020.
Conference applications and all queries should be sent by e-mail to lemkin@instytutpileckiego.pl
See also
- On better protection against crimes against humanity: Summary of the international conference “The Roots of Crimes Against Humanity”
News
On better protection against crimes against humanity: Summary of the international conference “The Roots of Crimes Against Humanity”
The international conference “The Roots of Crimes Against Humanity: Bridging the Normative Gap” successfully concluded at the Pilecki Institute in Warsaw. Organized on the 20th and 21st of April 2026, in cooperation with the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the event aimed to provide historical and academic foundations for the first-ever United Nations Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity.
- April 30 Deadline: Poland Proposes "Child-Sensitive Approach" for New UN Convention
News
April 30 Deadline: Poland Proposes "Child-Sensitive Approach" for New UN Convention
Beginning with today’s (April 30) deadline for all nations to submit their official comments to the United Nations on the draft of the proposed Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity, Poland has made an aggressive bid to become one of the leaders representing the globe’s most vulnerable victims.
- Recap of the 5th edition of the Pilecki Institute International Teachers and Educators Program (ITEP)
News
Recap of the 5th edition of the Pilecki Institute International Teachers and Educators Program (ITEP)
This year's online conference focused on the post-war decade of 1945–1955 – a time of rebuilding devastated countries, the beginning of the Cold War, and the birth of a new international order.
- Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visits the Augustów Roundup Memorial House
News
Belarusian opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya visits the Augustów Roundup Memorial House
On 22 April 2026, Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, leader of the Belarusian democratic opposition, visited the Augustów Roundup Memorial House.
- Research cooperation between the International Centre for War Crimes Trials (ICWC) and the Pilecki Institute
News
Research cooperation between the International Centre for War Crimes Trials (ICWC) and the Pilecki Institute
The Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor has entered into official cooperation with the International Centre for War Crimes Trials (ICWC) at Philipps University in Marburg.
- Researchers from the Pilecki Institute at BASEES 2026 in Birmingham
News
Researchers from the Pilecki Institute at BASEES 2026 in Birmingham
On 10–12 April, the BASEES 2026 Annual Conference was held in Birmingham; the international academic meeting was organized by the British Association for Slavonic and East European Studies.
- Research Visit of Luke Marlow from Aston University at the Pilecki Institute
News
Research Visit of Luke Marlow from Aston University at the Pilecki Institute
From 13 April to 8 May 2026, Luke Marlow, a doctoral researcher at Aston University, will be undertaking a research visit at the Pilecki Institute. The visit is carried out as a part of the Midlands Graduate School Doctoral Training Partnership and is funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.
- New Pilecki Awards Committee Appointed
News
New Pilecki Awards Committee Appointed
Pursuant to the Regulations of the Competition and the Operating Regulations of the Awards Committee, on 1 April 2026, the Acting Director of the Pilecki Institute, Karol Madaj, appointed the Awards Committee for the 6th edition of the Witold Pilecki International Book Award. The eight-member Awards Committee includes three permanent members representing the Pilecki family, the Pilecki Institute, and the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum, as well as members appointed each time by written decision of the Director of the Institute.
- Announcement | Competition for a research scholarship titled “The Provenance of Cultural Property Lost During the Nazi Occupation of Poland”
News
Announcement | Competition for a research scholarship titled “The Provenance of Cultural Property Lost During the Nazi Occupation of Poland”
Announcement of a competition for scholarships at the Witold Pilecki Institute of Solidarity and Valor, branch office in Berlin.
- Second debate in the “Berlin in Warsaw” series. Discussion on reparations and compensation [video]
News
Second debate in the “Berlin in Warsaw” series. Discussion on reparations and compensation [video]
“Compensation, damages, reparations: what is realistic, what is symbolic?” This was the title of the second debate in the “Berlin in Warsaw” series. Experts on Polish-German relations presented different perspectives on the difficult relationship between the two nations.
- 24 March | National Day of Remembrance of Poles Who Saved Jews Under German Occupation
News
24 March | National Day of Remembrance of Poles Who Saved Jews Under German Occupation
In 2018, the President of the Republic of Poland established 24 March as the National Day of Remembrance of Poles Who Saved Jews Under German Occupation. It serves as a commemoration of all Polish citizens who risked their lives to help Jews during the German occupation.
- Pilecki in NYC. The debate “Lessons from Nuremberg for the 21st Century”
News
Pilecki in NYC. The debate “Lessons from Nuremberg for the 21st Century”
The debate “Lessons from Nuremberg for the 21st Century” focused on the legacy of the Nuremberg Trials and their real impact on the development of contemporary international law and the methods of prosecuting war criminals.