Mr Christian Wicke

PhD student, NEC

T: ( 02 ) 6125 1490

E: Christian.Wicke@anu.edu.au

Research School of Humanities
College of Arts and Social Sciences

Qualifications:

BA European Studies, MSc Nationalism Studies

Short biography:

Christian gained a PhD scholarship from the National Europe Centre in January 2008. He previously studied at Maastricht University, Bogazici University, Istanbul, and the University of Edinburgh. He has worked as a tutor in modern European history and European integration. He co-convened the Graduate Research Workshop on transnational methods (2008) and convened its follow-up on interdisciplinary methods (2009). Christian was also involved in the organisation of the NEC’s Visiting Fellows program in 2009. During his short career as a PhD student, he presented his topic at workshops, seminars, lectures and conferences.

Research Interests:

Theories on nationalism, history of German nationalism, biography, European integration, political theory

Current Research Projects:

Helmut Kohl's Quest for Normality: A Biographical Approach to Nationalism

The German reunification in 1990 has been described as the end of the Sonderweg and a return to normality. Chancellor Helmut Kohl was instrumental in this process, which is a prime example of a nationalist event. Christian is interested in Kohl's personal nationalism.

Biographical inquiry has the capacity to go beyond idealist, structuralist, and elitist approaches to nationalism. It can illuminate the personal in nationalism, and reveal the internalisation of nationalist ideas, without dismissing the particular ideological, social and political contexts.

Kohl sought Germany’s return to 'normality', united and integrated within the West. The origins for this quest can be found in his early socialisation. Kohl's nationalism seems to consist of four intertwined ideological strands: Liberalism, Romanticism, Catholicism and Historism.

Professional societies:

Association for the Study of Nationalism and Ethnicity (ASEN)