Dear Colleagues,

It is our pleasure to invite you to participate in our annual Colloquium on American Studies, which will take place at Palacky University, Olomouc, Czech Republic from August 29- September 3, 2004. The title of this year's Colloquium is America - Home of the Brave and the key themes we will be discussing are following:

* Tales of Brave Conquests and the Conquests of the Braves

* Whose home? - the Roots of American Cultural and National Identity

* Besieged Homes, Beleaguered Cities

* American Patriotism, Local Patriotism

The papers should address the values of braveness, defense and conquest; structural principles informing and shaping those values such as antagonism, binarism, and complementarism.

The Colloquium is co-sponsored by the Center for Comparative Cultural Studies at Palacky University, the Czech and Slovak Association for American Studies, and the U.S. Embassy. The Colloquium will consist of morning and afternoon lectures led by both American and European scholars in the field of American Studies. The lecturers are encouraged to take a wider and more general perspective in order to address a larger audience, consisting of mainly postgraduate and graduate students and university teachers of American Studies, American Literature, or English language. More space is given to discussions, than it is usual at conferences. In addition, there will be regular evening program involving film projections, concerts, poetry readings, city tours and other activities.

Palacky University is the second oldest university in the Czech lands, and the Philosophical Faculty has the privilege of having been donated two special book collections - the special collection of Nathan Huggins, and the special collection of Ye Gerbish (donation of Eddie & Anna Bishop).

Olomouc, "the jewel of Moravia" boasts an almost completely Renaissance town center, the second largest after Prague, surrounded by lovely parks and botanical gardens. Augmented by splendid churches and palaces and numerous beer gardens, the town itself is worth a visit.

Josef Jařab,
Director of the Center for Comparative Cultural Studies

 

Applications and deadlines:
Those who apply before the May 15, 2004 will be paying the regular registration fee of 650 CZK (22 Euros), while participants who apply after this date will be paying 850 CZK (29 Euros).

Click here for the application form.

Travel:
Olomouc is located in the eastern part of the Czech Republic (Central Moravia). Participants are advised to fly to the Prague, Ostrava-Mosnov or Brno airport. The train connections are frequent and the journey takes 3,5 hrs from Prague, 2 hrs from Ostrava a 1,5 hrs from Brno.

Estimated Colloquium costs:
Registration fee 650 CZK or 22 Euros to be paid at the registration in Olomouc. Participants will receive a relevant book (a volume of papers presented at the last year's Colloquium) and will be invited to the Opening Reception and Closing Dinner.

Accommodation:
Student housing (double rooms) to be paid at registration.
Double room: 300 CZK / 10 Euros (price of the room per night)
Single room: 200 CZK / 7 Euros (price of the room per night)

Meals:
Will be your own responsibility, approx. 250 CZK (8 Euros) a day.
We encourage foreign participants to seek funding from their local U.S. Embassy and other organizations.

Accommodation and registration:
Jitka Hybnerova
Palacky University Conference Centre
Biskupske nam. 1
771 47 Olomouc, Czech Republic
Tel.: *420/58 563 1038
Fax.: *420/58 522 2802
E-mail: hybnerov@rupnw.upol.cz

Program coordinator:
Robert Hysek
E-mail: Colloquium@Centrum.cz

We would like to acknowledge our gratitude to the Embassy of the U.S.A. for all the support and aid we got from the Embassy, and to Mrs Marketa Kolarova, our long-term indispensible link, efficient aid and contact.

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