Call for Contributions: Travel and Tourism
Eastern Europe as a Travel Destination
Travel to foreign countries shapes mutual understanding in contradictory ways. On the one hand, tourism brings about encounters that can promote appreciation and intercultural understanding; on the other hand, they may also reinforce prejudices and deepen cultural divides. The “tourist gaze” in particular—a way of seeing, shaped by specific expectations and characteristic of modern tourism—often functions less as a bridge than as a filter.
For travelers from Western Europe, Eastern Europe has often functioned as a projection surface for one of two contrasting fantasies: for some, these lands were places of longing, where they might search for the supposedly unspoiled and authentic – a counter-world to a modernity they found alienating. For others, they offered an opportunity to exercise hegemonic Western interpretive frameworks, reading backwardness, exoticism, or cultural otherness into what they saw.
Moreover, the different modes of travel – closely tied to social, economic, and political circumstances – were fundamental in shaping people’s perception. The educational travelers of the 19th century experienced their destinations differently from tourists of the mass travel era that emerged in the 20th century. Business travelers, in turn, had very different interests from those seeking rest and social encounters in spa towns.
Tourism also left its mark on the countries being visited. As early as 1958, Hans Magnus Enzensberger pointed out in a groundbreaking essay that the search for authentic experiences and untouched nature, under the conditions of mass tourism, increasingly led to the destruction of precisely those things. As host countries adapted to the needs of travelers – creating infrastructure, designating particular sites as attractions, and presenting curated images of their cultural distinctiveness – they also reshaped how local communities understood and saw their own culture. The representation of the self for the eyes of others had a reciprocal effect on the ways in which collective identities were constructed from within.
This aspect of a “shopwindow” that allowed both a view out and a view in became particularly evident in the context of travel across the “Iron Curtain” during the Cold War. Travelers were invariably also presented with a political system, and tourist programs could serve propagandistic purposes. Yet such “encounters by design” did not always unfold as intended: some travelers resisted the official narratives, ignored the interpretations on offer, or reinterpreted them in in a deliberately contrary way. This was especially true of visitors already familiar with the region – some of whom had originally come from the very countries they were now visiting, having left through flight, expulsion, or resettlement. These individuals, in particular, often sought out opportunities for contact beyond the rigid itineraries of official visitor programs. Control over the images that visitors and locals formed of one another proved difficult to maintain.
With this newest Copernico focus topic our aim is to represent, analyze, and critically examine the experiences of travel to Eastern Europe through a wide range of examples and perspectives.
Potential areas of inquiry and guiding questions include:
For travelers from Western Europe, Eastern Europe has often functioned as a projection surface for one of two contrasting fantasies: for some, these lands were places of longing, where they might search for the supposedly unspoiled and authentic – a counter-world to a modernity they found alienating. For others, they offered an opportunity to exercise hegemonic Western interpretive frameworks, reading backwardness, exoticism, or cultural otherness into what they saw.
Moreover, the different modes of travel – closely tied to social, economic, and political circumstances – were fundamental in shaping people’s perception. The educational travelers of the 19th century experienced their destinations differently from tourists of the mass travel era that emerged in the 20th century. Business travelers, in turn, had very different interests from those seeking rest and social encounters in spa towns.
Tourism also left its mark on the countries being visited. As early as 1958, Hans Magnus Enzensberger pointed out in a groundbreaking essay that the search for authentic experiences and untouched nature, under the conditions of mass tourism, increasingly led to the destruction of precisely those things. As host countries adapted to the needs of travelers – creating infrastructure, designating particular sites as attractions, and presenting curated images of their cultural distinctiveness – they also reshaped how local communities understood and saw their own culture. The representation of the self for the eyes of others had a reciprocal effect on the ways in which collective identities were constructed from within.
This aspect of a “shopwindow” that allowed both a view out and a view in became particularly evident in the context of travel across the “Iron Curtain” during the Cold War. Travelers were invariably also presented with a political system, and tourist programs could serve propagandistic purposes. Yet such “encounters by design” did not always unfold as intended: some travelers resisted the official narratives, ignored the interpretations on offer, or reinterpreted them in in a deliberately contrary way. This was especially true of visitors already familiar with the region – some of whom had originally come from the very countries they were now visiting, having left through flight, expulsion, or resettlement. These individuals, in particular, often sought out opportunities for contact beyond the rigid itineraries of official visitor programs. Control over the images that visitors and locals formed of one another proved difficult to maintain.
With this newest Copernico focus topic our aim is to represent, analyze, and critically examine the experiences of travel to Eastern Europe through a wide range of examples and perspectives.
Potential areas of inquiry and guiding questions include:
- What discursive constructions of “otherness” and “authenticity” shape the perspectives of Western travelers toward East (Central) Europe?
- To what extent does tourism reproduce or destabilize existing cultural hierarchies between “West” and “East”?
- What image politics are at play in travel brochures, photo books, postcards, and social media content?
- How are spaces (e.g., cities, spa towns, landscapes) staged for tourism and symbolically charged?
- In what ways were tourist journeys across the Iron Curtain ideologically instrumentalized?
- What role do souvenirs, travel mementos, and local handcrafts play in constructing cultural meaning?
We invite submissions of contributions in a variety of formats and levels of complexity – from low-threshold introductory pieces to in-depth background articles on specific issues. The maximum text length is 12,000 characters including spaces. Other formats, such as object stories (e.g., on particular landmarks or souvenirs) or explorations of selected historical sources, may be significantly shorter (4,000–6,000 characters).
All contributions will be assigned a DOI. In addition, every article on the portal will include a citation recommendation, permalinks, and licensing information. All texts will be published in both German and English (submissions in English are welcome and will be translated into German as needed). Each contribution must include at least one appealing or striking, high-resolution illustration with a caption and confirmed image rights. Submissions will undergo an internal editorial review process. Authors retain the usage rights to their own texts. Further information for contributors – regarding illustrations, keywords, and formatting – can be found on the Copernico portal or obtained via email at copernico@herder-institut.de.
The rules of good academic practice apply.
Submission deadline and key dates
Please submit an abstract of no more than 300 words, including a brief description of your proposed contribution, by 30 August 2025 to copernico@herder-institut.de. You will be notified by 30 September 2025 whether your proposal has been accepted for inclusion in the thematic section. The deadline for submitting completed contributions is 30 December 2025.
