Europeanisations from the Bottom and from the Margins Actors, Representations, and Experiences (late 19th-early 21st centuries)[Européanisations par le bas et les marges. Acteurs, représentations et expériences (fin XIXe-début XXIe siècle)]

The conference Europeanisations from the Bottom and from the Margins, organised by Raphaëlle Ruppen Coutaz, Carmen Crozier, and Philippe Vonnard (Lausanne), originates from discussions initiated in 2018 between Raphaëlle Ruppen Coutaz and Philippe Vonnard as part of their collaboration on the project Écrire une histoire nouvelle de l'Europe (EHNE, Writing a New History of Europe). After an interruption due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the project was revived and enriched by the ongoing research of Carmen Crozier, eventually materialising in the form of this international conference. In their general introduction, the organisers situated their reflections within the theoretical frameworks of Europeanisation proposed by Kiran Klaus Patel and Eckart von Hirschhausen (2010), as well as Christian Wenkel (2021). These scholars conceptualise Europeanisation as encompassing a wide range of political, social, economic, and cultural processes. Such dynamics, often unintentional, are marked by exchanges, imitations, and entanglements whose effects extend beyond the institutional boundaries of the European Union (EU). Building upon these foundational perspectives, the conference sought to explore, refine, and critically interrogate these approaches. Particular attention was given to bottom-up dynamics, alongside domains such as culture, education, science, and sport, which are frequently marginalised in institutionally focused analyses. Within this framework, Europeanisation is no longer understood exclusively as a phenomenon tied to EU integration. Instead, it is examined through the lens of peripheral actors, transnational initiatives, and unexpected spaces, highlighting their contributions to the (re)definition of Europe from the 19th century to the present.