Book launch by Ulrike von Hirschhausen
People are witnessing an ever-increasing number of conflicts over land and statehood that seem intractable, whether in Ukraine, the Caucasus, Palestine, Kashmir or Taiwan. Almost all such theatres of conflict have emerged from the ruins of great empires, and the legacy of these empires shapes their immediate present.
Ulrike von Hirschhausen describes why these conflicts become frozen, how people live in such regions, and what possibilities exist for thawing frozen conflicts over territory and statehood.
The book provides the first overview in German of the frozen conflicts of our time, in which opposing sides cannot find a solution and which, for that very reason, constantly oscillate between war and a precarious peace. It delves deeply into the lived experience of these societies, traces the fates of individuals in these regions and explains the role of external patrons – often former empires – who seek to determine the course of the conflict.
*Frozen Conflicts* is an answer to the question of why more and more conflicts are taking this form and why grey areas between war and peace, between the state and non-state actors, are likely to be a scenario of our future.
Following the presentation of her new book, Ulrike von Hirschhausen – Director of the German Historical Institute in Washington, D.C. since 2025 – will discuss the topic with Frank Bösch, Director of the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History in Potsdam.
Additional information
Dates
November 2026
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