message from the director —2017 has been an amazing year for the C²DH. Following the strategic decision to create a third interdisciplinary centre at the University of Luxembourg, taken jointly by the University and the Luxembourg Government in 2016, the ambitious plan to create a Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History became an exciting reality in 2017.
This first annual report – presented in an innovative online storytelling format which reflects the centre’s public history mission – offers an impressive overview of the many activities and milestones that we were able to accomplish in the first year of our existence. Although the University sailed through troubled waters in 2017, we managed to keep on course, first and foremost thanks to the concerted efforts and great atmosphere shared by the continuously growing C²DH team.
The spirit of intellectual curiosity, playful experimentation and social engagement that prevailed at the centre during this crucial first phase was truly remarkable and made this first year an unforgettable experience of “thinkering” and shared responsibility. I would like to thank all the members of the C²DH for their outstanding commitment – together we have paved the way for a plethora of exciting scientific projects and public history events and a stimulating research environment full of opportunities for critical debate and hands-on experiences. 2017 was just the beginning…
Prof. Dr Andreas Fickers, Director of the C²DH
On 22 May 2017, the University of Luxembourg officially opened its third interdisciplinary research centre, the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH), with a ceremony attended by the Minister Delegate for Higher Education and Research, Marc Hansen, and the Minister of Justice, Félix Braz.
On 17 April 2017, the team moved into the new C²DH premises in the *Maison des Sciences Humaines* at the University of Luxembourg. The culture of transparency cultivated by the C²DH is reflected even in the architecture of these new premises: the space is organised in such a way that it facilitates exchange, dialogue and communication.
The main auditorium of the University of Luxembourg was filled to the last seat for the conference “Shaping the Europe of the future” organised by the C²DH, with the European Commission Representation in Luxembourg and their partners on 13 October.
The Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH) is the youngest of the University of Luxembourg’s three interdisciplinary centres. One of its key missions is to create a platform for critical discussion and academic research on issues related to the contemporary history of Luxembourg from a transnational perspective.
While one of the main aims of the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C²DH) is to carry out academic research and teaching on the contemporary history of Luxembourg and Europe from a transnational perspective, it also intends to become an international platform for reflection on the methodological and epistemological challenges facing historiography in the digital age.
A Timeline of the Year's Biggest Highlights