The second conference for the COST action “Slow Memory – Transformative Practices for Times of Uneven and Accelerated Change” will take place in Aarhus, Denmark from June 12th-16th, 2023. It will combine two events:
- a training school (12-13) mainly designed for PhD students and early career scholars;
- and the SlowMemo main meeting (13-16).
The focus of the conference is on methodologies: considering the barriers, blocks, flows and flux in working with and through slow memory practices. The conference will provide space for trainings, reflections, workshops, excursions and panel presentations.
The training school runs from June 12th – 13th and is organized into two tracks under the broad categories of “storytelling” and “ethnography” – with a uniting focus on “moving methodologies” (i.e. walks and talks).
After some time for Working Group meetings in the afternoon of the 13th, the 14th – 15th are dedicated to a series of meetings and activities for all Action members with a focus on shared methodological challenges and synergies across Working Group themes. The format offers key insights (rather than keynotes) from academics and practitioners working in Denmark on issues relevant for slow memory – which are then discussed and responded to by the Working Groups.
The 16th is reserved for Working Group meetings on next steps and deliverables.

Training school
Sunday June 11
Arrival of most participants in the evening in Copenhagen.
Monday June 12
The training school will literally start on the train from Copenhagen to Aarhus, continue for 1 1/2 days and end with a summary workshop in which the participants collect their ideas of best practices for the best practice guide (a key deliverable for our Action).
- 9-12 – Train from Copenhagen to Aarhus
Onboard Train-training School: with “books” from the Human Library
Human Library and Anthropologist Stine Grønbæk Jensen (tbc) - 12.30 – 13.30: Lunch
- 13.30 – 17.00: Parallel training sessions
- Track 1: Ethnography
- Track 2: Storytelling
- 18.30 – Dinner (TBA)
Tuesday June 13th
- 9.00 – 09.30: Coffee
- 09.00 – 12.30: Parallel training sessions
- Track 1: Storytelling
- Track 2: Ethnography
- 12.30 – 13.30: Lunch
- 13.30 – 14.30: Summary of training school for Good Practice Guide
- 14.30 – 15.00: break
- 18.30 – Joint Dinner at Matematisk Kantine
CA SlowMemo main meeting
Two of the days (14th–15th) of the main Action meeting start with a combined key insights followed by Working Group discussions and plenary debates.
Tuesday June 13th
- 15.00 – 18.00: Working Group Meetings
- 18.30 – Joint Dinner at Matematisk Kantine
Wednesday June the 14th
- 9.00 – 9.30: Coffee
- 9.30 – 10.30: Combining the themes of work/conflict/climate, we get key insights from the Cattle Crossroads project and Professor Ole Wæver on securitizing the climate. (TBC)
- 10.30 – 12.00: Working Group discussions on methodological implications of the key insights.
- 12.00 – 13.00: plenary debate led by WG 1, 4, 5.
- 13.00 – 14.00: Lunch
- 14.00 – 15.00: transit to Moesgaard (bring your bathing suit)
- 15.00 – 16.00: Draft Good Practice Guide – introduced by training school participants
- 16.00 – 17.00: MC meeting
- 17.00 – 19.00: Visiting the Moesgaard museum
- 19.00 – 21.00: Dinner at Moesgaard Museum
Followed by an evening dip! (Moesgaard Museum).
Thursday June 14th
- 9.00 – 9.30: Coffee
- 9.30 – 10.30: combining the themes of the city, welfare and colonialism with key insights from Mikkel Thelle on the cultural history of welfare societies and Astrid Nonbo Andersen who is the PI of the project Truth and Reconciliation in the Nordic Countries. (TBC)
- 10.30 – 12.00: Working Group discussions on methodological implications of the key insights.
- 12.00 – 13.00: plenary debate led by WG 2,3
- 13.00 – 14.00: Lunch
- 14.00 – 17.00: Excursion to the open air museum “the old city” with Mikkel Thelle
- 18.30: Dinner
Friday June 16th
- 9.30 – 12.30: Working Group meetings on special issues
- 12.30 – 13.30: Lunch
- 13.30 – 15.00: Core Group Meeting