Media Information 8/2024 | 14 November 2024

From military exercises to computer games: the interdisciplinary conference Playing War explores the representation and simulation of military violence

How has military violence been represented and simulated in various historical contexts and today? What is the relationship between games and simulations, on the one hand, and actual violence and current conflicts, on the other? Researchers from various disciplines will address these questions between 27 and 29 November in Regensburg and online during the annual conference of the Leibniz ScienceCampus Europe and America in the Modern World.

The Leibniz ScienceCampus is a joint platform of the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies and the University of Regensburg. The conference is organized in cooperation with the Working Group on Military Forces and Violence from the Bundeswehr Centre for Military History and Social Sciences (ZMSBw).

The conference Playing War: Simulations, Games, Exercises, and the Representations of Military Force and Violence offers an interdisciplinary platform for reflecting on wargaming phenomena. It addresses the intersections of simulation, play, games and military violence. The conference will shed light on representations of military violence across various formats, including military training exercises, digital battlefield simulations, historical reenactments and commercial computer and video games.

The keynote lecture will be given by Prof. Anders Engberg-Pedersen (University of Southern Denmark, Odense) on Operational Aesthetics: On War as an Art Form (27 November, 19:00, Haus der Begegnung, Hinter der Grieb 8, 93047 Regensburg). The conference will conclude with a panel discussion offering broader reflections on the theme of Playing War (29 November, 11:30, Room 319, Altes Finanzamt, Landshuter Str. 4, 93047 Regensburg).

The conference language is English. We invite participation in person and online – please register via info@europeamerica.de. There is no need to register for the keynote lecture on 27 November.

The conference is organized by Dr Kerrin Langer (TU Dortmund University), Jon-Wyatt Matlack (Leibniz ScienceCampus and University of Regensburg), Dr Frank Reichherzer (ZMSBw) and Prof. Juliane Tomann (University of Regensburg).

For more information and the full programme please visit: https://europeamerica.de/news-and-events/playing-war-conf-2024.html

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Information for media partners:

Media registrations via: info@europeamerica.de

With over 80 employees from more than a dozen different countries, the Leibniz Institute for East and Southeast European Studies (IOS) in Regensburg is one of the largest research institutions of its kind. It is tasked with analyzing historical and contemporary dynamics in East and Southeast Europe from diverse perspectives, with historians, economists and political scientists collaborating closely at IOS. Furthermore, the Institute publishes journals and book series, supports early career researchers and is home to an internationally recognized specialist library. More information: www.leibniz-ios.de/en

Academic contact:
Dr. Paul Vickers
Coordinator oft he Leibniz ScienceCampus Europe and America
Tel.: 0941/943-5964
E-Mail: campus@europeamerica.de