Postwar Worlds: Past, Present, and Future
International Conference Series: Berlin - Paris - New York
"1945-2025. War and Post-War(s).Contemporary Perspectives on the Post WWII World"
The year 2025 will mark the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. The brutal destruction of entire states, the tragedy of death, the wounds of survivors and, most importantly, the knowledge of the civilizational breakdown represented by the Holocaust and the Nazi ideology of extermination, have profoundly shaped our world. The complex heritage of WWII and its aftermath is reflected in current crises and conflicts; these conflicts, in turn, alter our historical perspective on the end of the Second World War. The 80th anniversary comes at a critical juncture. We are facing the end of the post-Cold War world order, which marks the end of the liberal and Western vision of the future. The promise of a new – and more just – world seems to have vanished for many generations, while wars and conflicts are at the forefront of our minds, often mobilizing military personnel and economic resources in the West.
Reflecting on the end of WWII in the context of complex global transformations provides the starting point for this series of international conferences, which will take place in three different capital cities that are symbolic places of the end of the Second World War and offer complementary perspectives today, three generations later: Berlin, Paris, and New York City.
This series of conferences is jointly organized by Paris 1 Panthéon Sorbonne University, Europa Universität Viadrina (Frankfurt / Oder), the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, and Columbia University.
The series will examine the end of the war from a comparative historical perspective, whilst defining a specific thematic outlook for each of the three cities. The Berlin conference will focus on the situation in Germany and Eastern Europe. The Paris conference will reflect on colonial spaces, including the end of conflicts in North Africa and Asia. The New York conference will adopt a comprehensive approach and will explore the institutional foundations of the post-war world order.
Conference Day 1: Oct. 7th, 2025
International Affairs Building
420 West 118th Street 1512 New York, NY 10027
Room 1512
Conference Day 2: Oct. 8th, 2025
Maison Française
Buell Hall, 515 W 116th St, New York, NY 10027
