The conference had two main themes, linked intrinsically with the project: the first subject of entry for the database and the cooperation between heritage and research institutes in Europe.
Subject of entry
The expansion of social communication during the Hrochean phase B, played a significant part in the extension of national identity i.e. the formation of modern nations. The propagation of national consciousness among the masses proved to be decisive. The nationalistic agitation during stage B occured not only through associations or national meetings, but also with the help of magazines: the beginning of the agitation signalled the start for the publication of patriottic periodicals.
A number of research questions concerning the periodicals during the Hrochean stage B remain to be answered, as, for instance, concerning the appropriation of national propaganda, myths and heroworship.
Before the project can start entering data about those periodicals, the conference has to define the subject and pinpoint to the research questions that have to be answered by the project.
Institutional cooperation
Heritage and research institutes with national movements as their field of interest, are very diverse in legal status, materials, activities and the scope of their subject matter. They are however all confronted with problems that are specifically linked with their subject. Some of those problems are due to local circumstances. But others are common to all of or to many amongst them.
The conference wants to draw up an inventory of the problems and of the different solutions, so as to be able to determine best practices and arrive at benchmarking. As NISE offers a platform for occasional and permanent collaboration between institutes, the conference will also consider the possibility of developing complementary expertise, drawing up joint archival or research projects, and offering concerted services on a European level.