Category Archives: News

Event, Lecture Series, News

Relationships with family A series of lectures on the annual theme of the Humboldt Forum 2025

Family is a blurry umbrella term for various forms of relations. It stands for origin and belonging, but also for obligation and conflict. As a central building block of social life, the family conveys rules and norms, moulds desires, fears and goals. At the same time, there is no fixed definition of what a family is. Depending on time and culture, it can be understood in many different ways.

The lecture series is dedicated to the contradictory reality of the model of the nuclear family today and asks for alternatives from a global perspective. Renowned academics from a wide range of disciplines will present current research to discuss the creative, ethical and innovative potential of alternative family and kinship concepts. The lecture series is the prelude to the Humboldt Forum’s theme year of the same name, which starts in autumn 2025.

The lecture series is part of the cooperation between the Humboldt Forum and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.

Collection, Event, Lecture Series, News

Invitation to the lecture series “Hands On. Research Perspectives on Collections”, November 11, 2024 – Die anatomischen Präparate und Modelle der HfBK Dresden. Zur De- und Reaktivierung einer Lehrsammlung

On November 11, 2024 at 18:00 c.t. the second session of the lecture series “Hands-on. Research Perspectives on Collections”, organized by the Coordination Office for Scientific Collections in Germany, will be held:

Die anatomischen Präparate und Modelle der HfBK Dresden. Zur De- und Reaktivierung einer Lehrsammlung
Prof. Ivo Mohrmann (HFBK Dresden) & Jakob Fuchs (Deutsches Hygienemuseum Dresden)

The Anatomical Collection of the Dresden University of Fine Arts (HfBK) is one of the oldest and best-preserved collections of artists’ anatomy in Europe. The lecture describes its eventful history from its foundation to the present day. Thanks to a project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), the university has been able to hold courses and public tours in the rooms of the collection again since 2020 and the almost 700 specimens and models are available for lending again.

The lecture will be held in German.

Participation is possible without pre-registration and is free for all interested parties!

Organisers:
Sarah Elena Link and Gesa Grimme
Coordination Centre for Scientific Collections in Germany

Time and Place:
The event takes place on Monday November 11, 2024 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Kurssaal, Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik, Campus Nord, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. Afterwards, there will be an opportunity to network and exchange ideas over a small drink.

There is also the possibility to join the event via Zoom.

More information on participation can be found here.

Plakat Ringvorlesung Sammlungen
Ringvorlesung „Hands On. Forschungsperspektiven auf Sammlungen“, 11.11.2024
Knowledge Exchange, News

Sensing Common Grounds. Towards Collaborative Speculation

Roundtable Discussion by Cluster of excellence “Matters of Activity” on November 14, 2024, 6:30 pm

The roundtable addresses current challenges at the intersection of critical humanities scholarship and design research by discussing nuanced means of knowing and making. It attends to collaborative speculation in inter- and transdisciplinary contexts to sense and unearth common grounds through the reality of the ecological predicament. Together with our guests, we ask about the narratives, prototypes, norms, materials and media that hold knowledge (and non-knowledge) of such speculations and public imaginaries: How to unlearn and unmake dominant modes of worldmaking by cutting across disciplines, foregrounding embodied knowledges, situated inquiry and extra-academic encounters?

The event will be held in English.                      

Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik, HU Berlin Campus Nord, Philippstraße 13/Haus 3

 

Event, News, Open Humboldt Freiräume, Project

Researching together, finding solutions together

The INTERSECT project brings together researchers, civil society organisations and refugee women from Ukraine. A panel discussion on 4 December 2024 marks the provisional conclusion of the project, which is supported by the Open Humboldt Freiräume funding line.

How do refugee mothers from Ukraine manage to gain a foothold in Germany? What particular challenges stand in their way? And what can politics, civil society and academia do to better support them? Gökce Yurdakul, Professor of Social Conflict at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, is investigating these questions in her ‘INTERSECT’ project.

The researcher works closely with the „Welcome Alliance“, an alliance of civil society organisations, foundations and state institutions that campaigns for the humane integration of refugees.
On 4 December 2024, she is organising a public discussion event together with her project partners. Here, women refugees, experts from politics, civil society and academia will have their say in order to jointly develop solutions that enable long-term and sustainable integration.

Gökce Yurdakul is receiving support for her project from the Open Humboldt Freiräume funding programme. In order to be able to concentrate fully on this research project, she has been granted a semester of teaching leave. The initiative is sponsored by the Berlin University Alliance and specifically encourages researchers to promote dialogue between the university and society and to develop innovative solutions to social challenges.

In a detailed article about the project, Gökce Yurdakul, Lilija Oleksiienko as an affected woman from Ukraine and other project partners report on their work and goals.

Read now

Register for the panel discussion

BUA, Knowledge Exchange, News, Third Mission, Workshop

Researching with Society: International Perspectives

HU Office for Knowledge Exchange with Society at Zentrum für Kulturtechnik | TD-Lab – Laboratory for Transdisciplinary Research of the Berlin University Alliance

Time:    Wednesday, 20. November 2024, 1:00 pm to 5:30 pm
Place:    Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Campus Nord, Philippstraße 13, Haus 3, 10115 Berlin
(Keynote/Workshops: Entrance Tieranatomisches Theater;
Reception: Entrance Hermann von Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik)

This is an in-person event that will take place in English. Please note that the workshops are currently fully booked and that your name will be added to a waiting list. Please register your interest here.

Researching with Society: International Perspectives

We are pleased to announce the event “Researching with Society: International Perspectives” on November 20th 2024, a get-together at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin on participatory research and public engagement offering learning and networking opportunities for Berlin researchers. The day will feature a keynote speech and workshops by international experts from the University of Oxford followed by a reception allowing time and space for networking and discussions.
Science and universities have a central role and responsibility in dealing with major societal challenges of our time. Knowledge exchange between academia and society is thus increasingly becoming an important part of research and knowledge production. The event welcomes all researchers, members of BUA institutions and interested science-related organizations to explore approaches and impact of participatory research and public engagement, discuss civic responsibilities of universities and network with partners from the University of Oxford. Please join us for the following program:

12:40 pm   Doors open at Tieranatomisches Theater

1:00-1:45 pm   Keynote Speech: Enhancing Research Through Public Engagement – Strengthening Participatory Approaches in Academia
by Dr. Victoria McGuinness, Head of Public Engagement, Head of The Oxford Research Centre in the Humanities (TORCH), University of Oxford
preceded by a welcome by Prof. Dr. Julia von Blumenthal, president of HU Berlin

This talk will explore the vital role of universities in addressing today’s societal challenges and their civic responsibilities. It will outline the opportunities for collaboration and co-creation and the added value of participatory approaches and public engagement in research, including their impact and outcomes. The speaker will share examples of how universities can support participatory research methods and strengthen these essential practices in academia

1:45-3:45 pm    Parallel Workshops: please note that the workshops are fully booked at present and that your name will be added to a waiting list (register your interest here)

Workshop 1: What is Public Engagement with Research in the Humanities?
Dr. Victoria McGuinness, Head of Public Engagement, Head of TORCH, University of Oxford
This workshop will delve into the feasibility of public engagement and participation across various disciplines in the Humanities. We will explore the motivations for researchers to engage in participatory projects with non-academic audiences and organisations, and identify the support needed to initiate and lead these initiatives. Participants will discuss the challenges faced in implementing participatory research approaches and public engagement, sharing methods and solutions to overcome obstacles. Join us to enrich your research through meaningful and equitable collaboration.

Workshop 2: Developing Compelling Impact Stories
Pavel Ovseiko, DPhil MSc PGDip, Senior Research Fellow in Health Policy and Management, John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford
This interactive workshop will introduce you to the UK’s best practice in defining, capturing, communicating, and incentivising research with impact on society, culture, and the economy. We will look at the fundamentals of a narrative impact case study, examine a mixture of real-world case studies, and critically discuss comparative advantages and disadvantages of different approaches to measuring and rewarding impactful research. You will walk away with real insights into what it takes to develop a narrative impact case study; which types of indicators you can use to demonstrate your impact; and how to pull different strands of evidence into compelling impact stories.

4:00-5:30 pm  Reception and Networking (snacks and drinks provided)
With Dr. Victoria McGuinness (TORCH, University of Oxford), Pavel Ovseiko (John Radcliffe Hospital, University of Oxford), OPEN HUMBOLDT Advisory Board, HU Office for Knowledge Exchange with Society, BUA TD-Lab

Registration: Please register for the event and select a workshop here (waiting list)
Contact: wissensaustausch.hzk@hu-berlin.de

Photo: Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

News

Museums targeted by populists: Open threats and gradually changes

The international project ‘CHAPTER’ has been investigating since 2020 how right-wing populist forces are influencing museums in Poland, the UK and Germany.

When the political scientist Julia Leser and her team surveyed museum and cultural institution employees in 2021 and 2022, she was amazed at how much their work is at the centre of right-wing populism. And not just in Poland, where the right-wing PiS party was in power, but also in the UK and Germany. In the research project CHAPTER – ‘Challenging Populist Truth-Making in Europe: The Role of Museums in a Digital ‘Post-Truth’ European Society’ – she interviewed around 40 employees of large and small institutions in urban and rural areas, including history, art and open-air museums, memorials and exhibitions on migration.

Together with Julia Leser, other researchers from Germany, Great Britain and Poland under the direction of Sharon Macdonald, Professor of Social Anthropology and founder of the ‘Centre for anthropological research on museums and heritage’, and Christoph Bareither, Professor at the University of Tübingen, systematically investigated this phenomenon. They wanted to find out how and in which institutions right-wing populism intervenes and how the employees are affected by it at work and personally. Since 2020, the researchers have been compiling examples and data to document and analyse the actions of right-wing populists and their effects. The project has also resulted in an app that invites users to engage with the topic of populism using specific objects in selected museums.

Read a detailed article about the research project.

Learn more about the CHAPTER app in the video.

To the project website

Caption: Since 2020, the ‘CHAPTER’ project has been investigating how right-wing populist forces influence museums in Poland, the UK and Germany. Photo: Challenging Populist Truth-Making in Europe (CHAPTER)

Event, Exhibition, News

About grey parrots and humans

The Animal Anatomy Theatre opens the exhibition ‘Parrot Terristories’ on 10 October, focusing on the multifaceted history of grey parrots and humans

African grey parrots are social animals that live in the tropical rainforests of West and Central Africa, where they travel in large flocks. However, these clever birds are endangered in the wild. There are now probably more grey parrots living in human households in Europe, the USA and the Middle East than in the wild.

The research and exhibition project ‘Parrot Terristories’ focuses on the history and complex facets of the relationship between grey parrots and humans. For six years, Ute Hörner and Mathias Antlfinger, Professor of Multispecies Storytelling at the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, have been working with numerous actors and institutions to create images, texts, films, sound works and installations that examine and show where parrots and humans meet and what these encounters look like.

Art by grey parrots and humans

Hörner and Antlfinger themselves have lived in a household with grey parrots for 20 years and founded the interspecies collective CMUK – which stands for the first letters of the collective’s four first names – with Karl and Clara in 2014. There is a shared workbench in the studio where installations such as the ‘Dollhouse for Dinosaurs’ are created: A model of their shared home, on whose windows, doors and walls the birds have left their mark. Shredded magazines, cork crumbs and splinters of wood litter the floor and bear witness to the power of the beaks and the desire to mould and shape. An audio recording inside the model gives an idea of the strength and perseverance with which the animals went about their work. The exhibition also includes a joint work with Nick Byaba from the Parrot Tree Caretakers Association in Uganda, which examines the relationship between wild grey parrots and their environment.

The exhibits make this clear: Grey parrots are individuals with their own will and experience, they have agency and actively create and shape their world. Recognising this ‘animal agency’ is the central concern of ‘Parrot Terristories’.

The Tieranatomisches Theater is showing the exhibition in the context of research into material cultural heritage at the Helmholtz-Zentrum für Kulturtechnik and the Käte Hamburger Centre for Advanced Study in the Humanities ‘inherit.heritage in transformation’ at Humboldt University.

Caption: CMUK. Divided workbench in the studio. Photo: Hörner/Antlfinger

Supported by Kunststiftung NRW, Hauptstadtkulturfonds Berlin and Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln

Further information
Vernissage: 10 October, 7 pm
Location: Tieranatomisches Theater, Campus Nord, Philippstraße 13/Haus 3, 10115 Berlin
Exhibition duration: 11 October 2024 to 29 March 2025

Learn more about the exhibition at TA T

Further cooperation partners
Dr. Sylke Frahnert, Dr. Katja Kaiser, Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (wissenschaftshistorische Beratung)
Christine Bluard, Annelore Naeckerts, Royal Museum for Central Africa, Tervuren, Belgien
Prof. Nancy Jacobs, Brown University
Dr. Vanessa Wijngaarden, University of Johannesburg, University of Liège

Contact:
Felix Sattler, Director and Curator of the TA T
felix.sattler@culture.hu-berlin.de

 

News, Object of the Month

Object of the month: Photo collection in the archive of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin

Object of the month 09/2024

Whether it was the opening of the academic year, the reception of foreign delegations, sporting competitions, conferences or conventions – a university photographer was always present at all university events, documenting the action and capturing it in numerous photos that provide a detailed insight into the history of Humboldt-Universität. The staff at the Hochschulfilm- und Bildstelle HBF (the universities own photographic and film service) also took on specific documentary assignments: architectural and interior photographs recorded the development of the university buildings, while portraits of professors and lecturers captured the composition of the teaching staff.

All these moments in over 40 years of university history, captured on mono film, are now in the photo collection of the HU Archive – both as positives and negatives and contact sheets; they include images that were intended for publication – in the HU magazine or in other university and non-university publications – as well as snapshots that have never been seen by the public.

X. Weltfestspiele der Jugend und Studenten (10th World Festival of Youth and Students) 1973, Angela Davis. Photo: Völkel, Copyright Humboldt-Universität
The student in the construction of a new Germany. Guest student at the veterinary clinic of the university, 1947. Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität
Meeting with Soviet citizens, November 1977. Photo: Talmann, Copyright Humboldt-Universität
Unveiling of the Marx bust in 1953. Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität
The FDJ Central Council's (Zentralrat der Freien Deutschen Jugend) graduation ball and reception, 1958. Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität
Photos of buildings inside and outside, undated. Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität
Photos of buildings inside and outside, undated. Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität
1. May 1946: „Zug der Universität. Die beiden Studentinnen sind beide Schuldirektorin bzw. Abt. Ltr. im Ministerium für Planung“. Roughly translatetd: „University procession. The two female students are both headmistresses respectively supervisor at the Ministry of Planning.“ Photo: unknown. Copyright Humboldt-Universität

A central service in the field of audiovisual media (audiovisuelle Medien, abbr.: AV) has existed at the university since 1952. Initially, it mainly provided photography and film work for teaching, studies and research, and also took over the maintenance and repair of AV technology. This university image centre was founded at all universities in the GDR by a resolution of the centrally responsible Ministry of Technical and University Education (Ministerium für Fach- und Hochschulwesen). Initially assigned to the Prorectorate for Research, the HFB moved to the Directorate for Cultural and Public Relations (Direktorat für Kultur- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit) after 1970, while the Centre for Audiovisual Learning and Teaching Materials (Zentrum für audiovisuelle Lern- und Lehrmittel, ZAL), founded in 1971 and 1979 respectively, continued to be available primarily as a service facility for research in the faculties and institutes of the university, for all members, students and teachers alike.

Although a few ZAL educational films are available in the archive, it is primarily the photos that are stored here: a unique and impressive testimony to academic life in the decades from the 1950s to the late 1990s, which has reached a volume of almost 30 linear metres and is largely untapped, despite its undoubted historical significance for the history of the HU. Despite verifiable attempts to organise and catalogue the mass of photographs in some way, the photo documents collected after the dissolution of the HBF were handed over to the archive in disarray, often unfortunately with very little information about the events and people in the photos, rarely supplemented with a note about the photographer and even more rarely dated. Creating order and retrospectively adding the missing information to the existing material is an immense and yet exciting challenge. Every time we delve into the sorted and unsorted boxes of photographs, we unearth a piece of everyday university life that tells stories on many levels: university history, but also social history, political, societal, scientific and everyday stories.

The ZAL and the HFB with their university-internal photographic laboratory were closed in the late 1990s. The university photographers took on other tasks. The possibilities for documenting life and events at the university have changed dramatically since then: analogue photographs are hardly ever taken, and every event is not only documented professionally, but also in a multitude of snapshots by participants and private individuals. The mono photographs depict a time that was characterised by different media, different resources and a long-changed university routine.

Author and contact:
Dr. Aleksandra Pawliczek
aleksandra.pawliczek@ub.hu-berlin.de
Speicherbibliothek Archiv
Wagner-Régeny-Straße 5-7
12489 Berlin

Knowledge Exchange, News, Open Humboldt Freiräume

Open Humboldt Freiräume – Time for dialogue and exchange

Time to implement projects with organisations from civil society organisations and thus promote the exchange of knowledge between university and society – this is what the Open Humboldt Freiräume funding line stands for. It literally creates ‘free spaces’ for researchers, who can be released from their teaching duties for one semester, to realise their ideas. The Humboldt University thus supports the exchange between science and society in the long term, as the projects often result in long-term collaborations and strong networks with civil society partners.

The programme is currently in its fifth round and has already supported 14 projects since 2021. In a video, researchers and their partners talk about the wishes and goals they have for their projects, what they learn and what successful projects look like.

Open Humboldt Freiräume is supported with excellence funding from the Berlin University Alliance.

Presented – Open Humboldt Freiräume in the video (YouTube)

OpenHumboldtFreiräume-Imagefilm-00000218-Standbild001
Prof. Gökce Yurdakul (right) in conversation with practice partners. Photo: Isabelle Duchêne
Knowledge Exchange, News, Third Mission, Workshop

Training Program in Public Engagement for Researchers

The team of HU ‘Knowledge Exchange with Society‘ at Zentrum für Kulturtechnik (HZK) invites researchers to participate in a training program for Public Engagement, delivered by the Berlin School of Public Engagement and Open Science. The workshop series is an effective and flexible training in public engagement and knowledge exchange between science and society. It offers an active network and a certificate in the field of participation and engagement.

  • What: Training program (Ger/Eng) with 3 thematic modules and optional units: 1. Foundations – Engagement in Practice, 2. Evaluation Practice, 3. Creative Engagement – Skills and Formats
  • Who: the training is aimed at researchers from all disciplines and at all stages of their careers who are interested in cooperating with non-academic and community partners
  • When: from October 2024 to June 2025, with an average of one workshop per month; you can choose and book the individual appointments on your own
  • Where: live online sessions on Zoom

Please see here for detailed information about the training

If you are interested in participating or have questions, please contact the HU-team Knowledge Exchange with Society at wissensaustausch.hzk@hu-berlin.de until September 15.