For the first time in its history, West Chester University (WCU) is hosting the annual Austrian Studies Association Conference (ASA) Apr. 11-14.

In collaboration with the University of Pennsylvania (Penn), the conference will bring together scholars, writers, and students from around the world to explore the theme “Austria Within Europe: In Cultural History and Today/From the Habsburg Empire to the European Union.“

The ASA 2024 conference is set to welcome approximately 90 attendees from six countries over its four days of programming. Highlights include scholarly panels covering various disciplines such as history, politics, literature, and film studies, focusing on Austria’s role within Europe from the Renaissance to the present day.

WCU students are assisting with logistics and guiding attendees. In addition to practicing their skills, they’ll also have opportunities to engage with international scholars and writers. WCU Professor of German Joseph Moser, one of the conference’s organizers, looks forward to those interactions.

“This conference presents a unique opportunity for our students to immerse themselves in the German language and Austrian culture,” he said. “Much of the conference will be conducted in German, giving our German majors and minors an invaluable linguistic and cultural experience.”

One of those students is senior secondary history education major Alexis Stein. Stein, who is pursuing a minor in German, is part of an undergraduate panel during the conference where she’ll present a project from her capstone history course about the legacy and memorialization of Empress Elisabeth of the Austro-Hungarian empire.

“I am most looking forward to presenting my research to experts in Austrian studies and learning about the work these historians, authors, and experts have produced,” said Stein.

Instead of a keynote presentation, the conference is hosting three renowned Austrian writers — Teresa Präauer, Marie Gamillscheg, and Ana Marwan — who will perform readings of their works in German. This unique format was made possible through the generous support of the Austrian Cultural Forum New York and the University of Pennsylvania, Moser explained.

Most of the conference will occur at West Chester University, with a special session scheduled at Penn to view a collection of Austrian artifacts. The collaboration has set a precedent for future ASA conferences to seek out similar partnerships, Moser stated.

Moser said he and his co-organizers WCU Associate Professor of French Roxane Petit-Rasselle and Penn Presidential Associate Professor of Germanic Languages and Literatures Vance Byrd, have received substantial support from both universities and external sponsors, including WCU’s College of Arts and Humanities, Penn’s College of Arts and Sciences, the Austrian Cultural Forum New York, and the Botstiber Institute of Austrian-American Studies.

For more information about the conference and to view the full schedule, visit the West Chester University ASA 2024 Conference page. Learn more about West Chester University (WCU), the largest member of Pennsylvania’s State System of Higher Education, comprising 10 state-owned universities within the Commonwealth of PA. Founded in 1871, West Chester University is a comprehensive public institution offering a diverse range of more than 180 academic opportunities in 40 fields of study across undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral levels.