Reaching out?
The Zukunftskolleg and its fellows show presence in both the scientific community and the public debate by offering talks and events that are (partly) open to the whole of society. In this chapter, you can find a selection of public events that took place in the past year:
Public talk: “The Relations between the EU and the Southern Mediterranean Countries”
The Zukunftskolleg extended an invitation to the public talk by Michael Köhler (European Commission) on Wednesday, 12 July entitled "The Relations between the EU and the Southern Mediterranean Countries". He was invited by James Wilson (Postdoctoral Fellow / History and Sociology).
Michael Köhler is Deputy Director-General in the Directorate-General "European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operation" since 2019.
The talk took place in collaboration with the Department of Politics and Public Administration in the framework of its departmental colloquium.
Public Talk: “Feminist Approaches and Masculinity in Policing Research”
Abena Yalley (Postdoctoral Fellow/Literature & Politics and Public Administration) extended an invitation to her talk on “Feminist Approaches and Masculinity in Policing Research” at the University of Warwick, UK, on 7 July.
Abstract
Policing is recognized as one of the world’s most masculinized institutions, constructed on rigid patriarchal norms and ideologies. Although contemporary policing is beginning to recognize the necessity for feminist approaches to successful policing, masculinity continues to take a pivotal pre-eminence in policing. The Ghana and Nigeria police, like most police institutions, are highly gendered with dominant patriarchal principles. But what does this mean for ethnographic research, particularly for female researchers to conduct ethnographic studies in such a masculinized institution? Furthermore, how does the research topic increase the vulnerability/agency of the researcher?
In this presentation, she examined her fieldwork experiences as a woman researching on feminist issues in the Nigeria Police Force and the Ghana Police Service. She employed a narrative approach to examine the gender tensions, her vulnerabilities and adaptation skills during her 13 months of fieldwork in six police stations.
Talking about languages?
The 4th edition of the international workshop “Heritage Language Syntax” (HLS4) took place on 3 and 4 July at the Kulturzentrum in Konstanz. The workshop was organized by Research Fellow Anamaria Bentea, in collaboration with members of the Department of Linguistics at the University of Konstanz and with the support of the Zukunftskolleg.
38 participants from Germany, Netherlands, France, UK, Spain, Greece and the US attended the workshop. The programme was very rich and featured talks by early and advanced career researchers on various aspects related to the development and processing of syntax in heritage languages, that is, minority languages learned by speakers at home as children.
The four invited speakers gave inspiring talks: Tanja Kuspisch (University of Konstanz/UiT The Arctic University of Norway) spoke about changes in the determiner system in heritage languages and showed that “heritage language acquisition is systematic and in fact mirrors language change, though at a higher speed”. Jill Jegerski (University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign) showed that the apparent difficulty that heritage speakers of Spanish have with the processing of morphology is “not necessarily due to deficient morphosyntax, as it can also be due to the demands of accessing lexical items in real time”. Natalia Meir (Bar-Ilan University) gave a talk which demonstrated that heritage language grammars are shaped in tandem by effects of cross-linguistic influence from the speaker’s dominant language(s) and by diminished input in the heritage language. Monika S. Schmid (University of York) spoke about language attrition and the emotional aspects related to language loss in various speaker groups (adoptees, immigrants and refugees).
Theodoros Marinis (University of Konstanz) presented the TEAM project, which aims to educate teachers about multi- and bilingualism. More information about this can be found on the project website. Various other resources can be accessed on the YouTube channel created as part of the project.
Public Talk: “Critical Perspectives on Human Rights Semantics”
In the Logic Colloquium on 12 June at the University of Konstanz, Noelia Martínez Doallo (Postdoctoral Fellow/Law) gave a presentation on “Critical Perspectives on Human Rights Semantics”.
Abstract
Traditionally, human rights have been described as inalienable, absolute and universal, yet such features seem to contradict the formal semantics of the legal language at various levels. First, the thesis of correlativity – as deployed by W.N. Hohfeld – demonstrates that, to be actual subjective rights, human rights must be enshrined through legal rules and be necessarily alienable, otherwise they should be articulated in terms of a different category of legal norms, i.e. principles. Second, constitutional case law supplies a number of examples of human rights collisions that not only requires weighing them against each other on a case-by-case basis but also contradicts their alleged absolute character. To this effect, the weight formula developed by R. Alexy appears as a promising tool to solve such conflicts, while bringing once again into question the conceptualization of human rights as rights proper. Finally, on the basis of a dialectically necessary method, A. Gewirth’s principle of generic consistency proves that no prospective purposive agent can deny other agents’ ownership of human rights without logical contradiction, though placing the debate in the moral domain and, thus, evincing the hybrid nature of human rights insofar as moral-legal entities. From the premises of the semantics of logic, Noelia turned to the aforementioned theories to make the case that legal norms on human rights should be better formulated as principles and, consequently, the subjective rights approach should be abandoned.
European NetIAS Lecture/Debate Series
The European NetIAS Lecture/Debate Series is organized jointly by the institutes participating in NetIAS.
In the 2023 summer semester, there were two NetIAS debates in which researchers from different fields and from various European centres reflected on “Labour and Migration” and “Health. Interdisciplinary, ethical and alternative approaches”.
25 May, 17.00-19.00: “Health. Interdisciplinary, ethical and alternative approaches”
at IMéRA, Marseille
The four fellows who participated in the event were:
Amy Padula, fellow at HIAS, Hamburg
Associate Professor of Obstetrics, Gynaecology and Reproductive Sciences at the University of California, San Francisco
Noelia Martinez Doallo, fellow at the Zukunftskolleg, Konstanz
Doctoral candidate in law, her research interests are bioethics, health law, philosophy of law
Cristina Nombela, fellow at MIAS, Madrid
Psychologist working on cognitive disturbances in neurodegenerative diseases, particularly Parkinson’s disease
Michael Koslowski, fellow at IMéRA, Marseille
Psychiatrist, researcher at CHU Charité Berlin, his current research topic is: The renaissance of psychedelics for the treatment of mental diseases
27 April, 10.00-12.00: “Labour and Migration”
at the Madrid Institute for Advanced Study
The three discussants were:
María Hernández Carretero, MIAS fellow, Madrid
Anthropologist and migration researcher, with a background in sociology and international development and peace studies
Julie Weise, IMéRA fellow, Marseille
Associate Professor of History, University of Oregon – Holder of the Fulbright-IMéRA Chair in Migration Studies
Irina Nicorici, New Europe College fellow, Bucharest
Sociologist working on Migrations between Romania and the Soviet Union, 1960-1990
Public Event: “pro.log: Einfache Leute”
Speaker
Ariane Bertogg (Postdoctoral Fellow/History and Sociology)
Getting to the bottom of theatre: that’s what the pro.log series does. It delivers insights into a play’s creation and motifs, the sketching of the characters and current issues. It is directed at everyone who is interested in the performance – regardless of whether they have already seen it or still want to. A lecture of about 45 minutes delivers insights into the play. It is followed by a discussion with the audience and individuals involved in the production.
The talk by Ariane Bertogg on 21 May about the play “Einfache Leute” (Simple People) shed light on the tension between family of origin, professional success and the feeling of not having really arrived. She analyzed the fears of those who have moved up, the lack of understanding of those left behind, the ambivalence of family and the mistrust in meritocracy. And showed how life courses and success are gender-typed – and what that means for all of us. Finally, she discussed why we are unable to change because we are not only part of society but also bear society “within us”.
More information: https://theaterkonstanz.de/pro_log
Celebrating Europe Day
On 9 May, the University of Konstanz, as a member of three European University Networks – ERUA, Yerun, EUniWell – celebrated Europe Day together with its international partners. Highlight of the event was a live online session with the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy as a very special guest.
For this occasion, the International Office, the Department of Politics and Public Administration and the Zukunftskolleg organized an event with various talks in English.
Programme
Opening: Dorothea Debus, Vice Rector for International Affairs, Equal Opportunity and Diversity
Talk: Dirk Leuffen, Professor of Political Science and International Politics, on “Schuman 2023”
Talk: Yeliena Kovalska, sociologist from Ukraine and MSCA4Ukraine fellow at the University of Konstanz, on “Ukrainian War Refugees in Konstanz: Main Problems and Plans for the Future”
Talk: Maryna Lytvyn, economist from Dnipro University of Technology and Zukunftskolleg Visiting Fellow, on “Ukrainian European Studies Association”
The President’s Office published the following article about the event here.
See also an article on the website of the University of Konstanz.
And in the magazine DER SPIEGEL
Block Seminar: “Green Economy”
From 13-16 April, Visiting Fellow Roksoliana Liubachivska held a block seminar on “Green Economy” at the Zukunftskolleg. The seminar brought together a diverse group of international students from Italy, Spain, UK, France, Tunisia and Azerbaijan to learn about various aspects of green economy and sustainable development.
The seminar covered a wide range of topics, including an introduction to green economy, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), circular economy business models and the policymaking process. These discussions provided an excellent platform for the participants to learn about the importance of transitioning to the green economy and the impact it can have on our planet.
During the seminar, students also played an exciting game called “Circula – The Circular Economy and Entrepreneurship Game”, which was developed with funding from the Finnish Innovation Fund Sitra. The game helped the participants to learn about the circular economy and entrepreneurship, which are essential aspects of the green economy.
In addition to these activities, the students also worked on creating posters for the Green Index for University/Schools/Accommodation, which provided them with the opportunity to showcase their creativity and understanding of green economy concepts.
“The poster session was a great success, and the students presented their ideas with tremendous enthusiasm,” says Roksoliana Liubachivska. “We hope that these seminars have inspired our students to think more deeply about the importance of transitioning to a green economy and making a positive impact on our planet.”
Presentation: Survey on the “Situation and living conditions of refugees from Ukraine in Konstanz”
On 2 February, Yeliena Kovalska (Visiting Fellow/History and Sociology) presented the results of a survey she conducted in Konstanz on the situation and living conditions of refugees from Ukraine in Konstanz
Afterwards, the audience had the opportunity to ask questions and for discussion, as well as to exchange and develop ideas. The results of the survey could be helpful for designing new measures and projects for refugees in the region. The event was organized by the International Office and the Zukunftskolleg.
WIAS 15th Anniversary Symposium: “Well-being in the time of uncertainty”
On 12-13 December 2022, the Waseda Institute for Advanced Study (WIAS) of Waseda University organized the WIAS 15th Anniversary Symposium “Well-being in the time of uncertainty” together with the Zukunftskolleg and the Institute for Advanced Research of Nagoya University.
At the symposium, WIAS members discussed the topic of “Well-being in the time of uncertainty” together with their guests and co-organizers, addressing aspects such as climate change, energy issues, natural disasters and food problems. They also shed light on the role of higher education institutions in meeting these challenges. The main target audience was researchers, but students were also encouraged to attend.
The two-day symposium featured a programme of keynote lectures and roundtable discussions. Day 1 was dedicated to the sub-theme “Energy and Sustainability”, Day 2 to the sub-theme “Life”. The respective roundtable discussions addressed the following topics: “Energy Issues”, “Sustainable Society”, “Culture/Arts”, “Health and Security” and “Inclusive Society”. Researchers from the natural sciences, social sciences and the humanities shared their knowledge across and beyond the boundaries of academic disciplines.
The programme with all the presentations can be downloaded here.
You can watch videos of all the lectures on YouTube.
If you would like to watch the presentations by Zukunftskolleg members:
Roundtable on “Culture/Arts”:
Presentation by Jacob Bloomfield (Postdoctoral Fellow/Literature)
Roundtable on “Health & Security”:
Presentation by Udith Dematagoda (Alumnus/Literature)
Presentation by Ariane Bertogg (Postdoctoral Fellow/History and Sociology)
Roundtables: “Academic Careers in Africa, Asia and Latin America”
At these roundtables in December 2022, the expert knowledge of ZUKOnnect and Herz Fellows helped researchers from the University of Konstanz understand academic career paths in the ZUKOnnect and Herz Fellows’ home countries. They provided in-depth knowledge on structural differences as well as subject-specific insights into local academic careers. Researchers from Konstanz were then better informed on how to read and understand applications from Africa, Asia and Latin America. Two simultaneous roundtables were organized – one in the social sciences and humanities (hosted by the Inequality Cluster) and one in STEM (hosted by the Collective Behaviour Cluster).
Organizers
Cluster of Excellence “The Politics of Inequality”, Centre for the Advanced Study of Collective Behaviour and Zukunftskolleg
Workshop: “Academic careers for postdoctoral researchers in Germany”
What does the German academic system expect from postdoctoral researchers? And what opportunities does it open up for a further academic career? This information session gave an overview of the career phase between doctoral degree and professorship: What are the requirements, what are typical career paths and what specifics of the German academic system should you know? The session combined input by Mirjam Müller, expert for postdoctoral careers at the University of Konstanz, with a Q&A session. This offer was available for all international researchers at the University of Konstanz.
Speaker
Mirjam Müller, Academic Staff Development
Public Talk: “Abuse and Humiliation in the Delivery Room: Patterns and Dynamics of Obstetric Violence in Ghana”
Abena Yalley (Postdoctoral Fellow/Literature & Politics and Public Administration) gave a public talk entitled “Abuse and Humiliation in the Delivery Room: Patterns and Dynamics of Obstetric Violence in Ghana” on Wednesday, 7 December 2022 at the University of Konstanz.
Abstract
Obstetric violence, conceptualized as the abuse and mistreatment of women during pregnancy and delivery, has been recognized as a threat to women’s reproductive health. It is a major barrier to women’s use of health facilities, increasing the risk of preventable complications and maternal mortality. Obstetric violence is particularly humiliating, reducing women’s autonomy over their bodies and the reproductive process. Although the phenomenon is gaining worldwide attention, there is yet limited evidence of the depths and dynamics of obstetric violence in Ghana where maternal mortality is excessively high and skilled birthing is on a decline. This study interrogates the phenomenon from a wider perspective using a larger sample size of 2,164 to measure the magnitude and qualitative interviews to investigate the drivers. This public lecture aims to answer the following intriguing questions: What is the magnitude of obstetric violence in Ghana? How does obstetric violence manifest in Ghana and which categories of women are more vulnerable to abuse? Why do healthcare professionals abuse women? How is obstetric violence perceived by healthcare workers? Does gender inequality within health systems contribute to women’s experiences of abuse?
Collaborators
Professor Anke Hoeffler, Politics and Public Administration, University of Konstanz
Dr Seth Christopher Aphiah, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana
Moderator
Professor Kirsten Mahlke, Literature, Arts and Media Studies, University of Konstanz
Zukunftskolleg Day Trip to the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien in Karlsruhe
On 4 November 2022, a group of Zukunftskolleg fellows went on a Scientific Retreat to the Zentrum für Kunst und Medien (ZKM) in Karlsruhe.
The ZKM is a cultural institution that gathers scientists and artists from all over the world to collaborate in practical-theoretical projects. The institution also has some of the largest collections of media arts in Europe, with a particular focus on computer and video art. The day trip to the museum was preceded by a lecture given on the previous day about museums of computing by Peter Krapp (University of California, Irvine), who is also a Senior Fellow at the Zukunftskolleg. The journey started early in the morning, with fellows arriving in Karlsruhe by train at around 13.00. After a pleasant time spent discussing and getting to know colleagues further during the train journey and lunch at the bistro in the foyer of the ZKM Café, the researchers attended guided tours through three of the main open exhibitions at the museums.
First was the exhibition “Walter Giers. Electronic Art”, which spanned the career of the German op-art pioneer, from his early works deconstructing radio equipment, passing through his experiences with computer sensors and body movements, showing also his idiosyncratic pieces of jewellery design. The interactive aspect of Giers’ artwork made it a particularly good start for a tour, as fellows were invited to experiment with some of the pieces. Even though some of the installations could not be repaired to their original state for the exhibition, the noisy technical experiments of most pieces made themselves heard during the nearly one-hour long walk through the guided exhibition.
Next was “Lazy Clouds”, the current exhibition of artist Soun-Gui Kim. In a completely different rhythm, the tour through the three main halls, which spanned different phases of the artist’s career, had a much more introverted feel, reflecting the conceptual approach of Kim to the poetic aspects of landscape and her attention to human experiences within natural and social environments. Fellows could follow the evolution of her visual work from the early video interventions in (and struggling with) traditional Korean art to her more recent renditions exploring the structural tensions and continuities between digital technology and traditional media practices.
During the guided tours, the participants had the opportunity to view some of the ateliers and workshops where artists and researchers develop their collaborative work at the ZKM. In the last tour, fellows had the opportunity to see how the “zkm_Gameplay” exhibition was curated. Dealing with the past of digital games, this exhibition presented a diverse selection of historical and creative works from the medium of video games. Within the tradition of ZKM as a media-oriented museum, the curatorial approach of “zkm_Gameplay” focused on the artistic and technical limits and possibilities of the medium through specific, canonical titles of the history of digital games until the present. Participants could also play some of these games, mostly by making use of emulators but also some original consoles arranged by the museum.
Before returning home, the fellows went for a walk together through Karlsruhe city centre, visiting the park of the Badisches Landesmuseum Karlsruhe before travelling back to Konstanz at night.
Public Talk: “Is the Internet a Museum of Computing?”
Senior Fellow Peter Krapp (Dept. of Film and Media Studies, University of California, Irvine, USA) gave a public talk entitled “Is the Internet a Museum of Computing?” on 3 November 2022 at the University of Konstanz.
Abstract
How does the computer get into the museum and when does the museum get into the computer? “Information technology constitutes the twist in the Möbius strip that takes us from arguments internal to a field (how is the past conceptualized in the case of a historical science) to its exterior (how is information about the past stored),” as Geof Bowker put it. Of course, the internet is not a museum in any conventional sense – but then computers are not conventional media either, and a range of scholars have argued that the internet may be the most apt way to assemble, consult, commemorate, and musealize what we know about computing. Inversely, we may wonder to what extent computer history museums actually do justice to computer history, from analogue and early digital machines to mainframes and from minicomputers and microcomputers to the creation of decentralized networks, up to and including the history of the internet.