In March 2022, Appalachian State University proudly hosted the Fourteenth Southeast German Studies Consortium (SEGSC) Workshop, convening scholars from across the Southeastern United States for two days of rich, interdisciplinary dialogue in German and German-Jewish Studies. The event—held March 24–25 and organized in partnership with the Southeast German Studies Consortium—continued a long-standing tradition of fostering democratic, collaborative scholarly exchange.
A Collaborative Tradition of Scholarship
Founded in 2008, the SEGSC Workshop series brings together faculty and graduate students each year from institutions spanning Louisiana to Washington, D.C. The workshop format is intentionally democratic: instead of formal panels, participants engage in lively group discussions of short, pre-circulated position papers, ensuring space for emerging and established scholars alike to share work and exchange ideas.
The 2022 workshop at Appalachian State University showcased participants from a wide range of disciplines—including literature and language, history, cultural and film studies, political science, musicology, and more—reflecting the diverse perspectives that continue to shape German Studies today.
Three Central Themes
The 2022 workshop centered on three timely themes that have animated recent scholarship in German and German-Jewish Studies:
- The Haskalah and European Enlightenment Revisited–Scholars examined the complex intellectual relationships between the Enlightenment (“Aufklärung”) and the Haskalah, exploring questions of identity, inclusion, historiographical trends, gender, and cross-regional intellectual networks.
- Teaching German and German-Jewish Studies in the Twenty-First Century–This panel addressed the challenges and possibilities facing the field amid declining enrollments and structural changes. Participants discussed critical pedagogy, digital teaching practices, diversity and decolonization in the curriculum, and the future of German and Jewish Studies programs in the Southeast.
- Democracy: Past, Present, Future–Revisiting the longstanding debates about democracy in the German-speaking world, scholars explored theoretical, cultural, and historical perspectives—from Enlightenment visions of international peace to twentieth-century crises and today’s global concerns about authoritarianism, surveillance, and political instability.
Keynote Address by Professor Dr. Shmuel Feiner
A highlight of the workshop was the keynote lecture delivered by Professor Dr. Shmuel Feiner of Bar-Ilan University, one of the world’s leading experts on the Jewish Enlightenment and modern European-Jewish history. Dr. Feiner—holder of the Samuel Braun Chair for the History of the Jews in Germany, Chair of the Historical Society of Israel, and Vice President of the International Leo Baeck Institute—offered profound insights that enriched the workshop’s conversations around the Enlightenment, Haskalah, and historical interpretation.
Supporting a Regional Community of Scholars
The event was made possible through broad support from across Appalachian State University—including the Center for Judaic, Holocaust, and Peace Studies; the College of Arts and Sciences; and the Departments of History, Languages, Literatures & Cultures, and Philosophy and Religion. Additional sponsorship came from Emory University and the Carolina Center for Jewish Studies at UNC–Chapel Hill, underscoring the workshop’s strong regional network.
Participants benefited from funded lodging and meals, and despite ongoing pandemic considerations, the workshop successfully offered both in-person engagement and a hybrid option, continuing SEGSC’s commitment to accessibility and community-building.Papers from the workshop can be accessed on the South East German Studies website, and are also available for viewing through App State’s Belk Library and Information Commons.