Decolonization: Promises, Problems, Practices

8–9 October 2026
Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna
Theatersaal, Sonnenfelsgasse 19, 1010 Vienna

The conference “Decolonization: Promises, Problems, Practices” brings together scholars from different disciplines to examine the histories, meanings, and ongoing practices of decolonization. Across two days, the programme addresses questions of colonial legacies, knowledge production, memory, reparations, and the possibilities and challenges of decolonial approaches.

As part of the conference, Noémie Etienne, Chair of Cultural Heritage Studies at the University of Vienna, will chair the panel “Visualizing decolonization? Artistic and research practices” on Friday, 9 October, from 10:45 to 12:15. The panel brings together historian and artist Memory Biwa from the University of Cape Town and other contributions focusing on artistic and research practices as ways of engaging with colonial histories and their legacies.

The conference is hosted at the Austrian Academy of Sciences and is convened by Anaïs Angelo, Nicole Immler, and Johannes Feichtinger.