The objective of the international PhD research group “Minor Cosmopolitanisms,” which celebrates its inauguration on October 28 in Potsdam, is to undertake research on new forms of cosmopolitanism beyond Eurocentric traditions. The group will focus on everyday life and cultural practices that combine cultural diversity with transcultural coexistence, peace and justice. Prof. Oliver Günther, PhD, president of the University of Potsdam, and Prof. Dr. Thomas Brechenmacher, dean of the Faculty of Philosophy, will open the event. Renowned scholars from New York University will hold guest lectures. Cultural studies scholar Prof. Ella Shohat will present on “The Sephardi-Moorish Atlantic: Between Orientalism and Occidentalism,” and film theorist Prof. Robert Stam will speak about “Radical Indigeneity in the Red Atlantic: The Trilateral Traffic of Ideas.“
Beginning in October of this year, the German Research Foundation has provided four and a half years of funding, a total of € 3.9 million, to the PhD research group. Twelve doctoral students and one postdoc will officially begin their work now. Research projects range from the colonial sound archives of the Humboldt University, to the appropriation of indigenous lands, and European border policies. “The idea of minor cosmopolitanisms focuses on recognizing, at a fundamental level, the differences in transcultural contact, without precluding a shared vision of global coexistence and justice,” say the group’s spokespersons, Prof. Dr. Lars Eckstein and Prof. Dr. Dirk Wiemann from the Department of English and American Studies. “We hope that our PhD research group will make a lasting contribution to this field, both with its individual research projects as well as jointly organized public lecture series and conferences.”
The project situates the University of Potsdam within a network of eight partner institutions on four continents. Researchers in Potsdam, as well as colleagues from the Humboldt University and the Freie University of Berlin, will collaborate closely with partner institutions in Australia, Asia, Africa and North America. One of their activities abroad will be the organization of summer and winter schools.
Spokespersons Prof. Dr. Lars Eckstein and Prof. Dr. Dirk Wiemann submitted the application for the group together with Prof. Dr. Anja Schwarz, Prof. Dr. Nicole Waller (English and American Studies), Prof. Dr. Iwan-Michelangelo D’Aprile (German Studies), Prof. Dr. Sina Rauschenbach (Jewish Studies), Prof. Dr. Regina Römhild (European Ethnology, HU Berlin), and Prof. Dr. Sérgio Costa (Sociology, FU Berlin).
Time: October 28, 2016, 17:00
Location: University of Potsdam, Campus Am Neuen Palais, Building 12, upstairs in the cafeteria
Contact: Dr. Judith Coffey, “Minor Cosmopolitanisms“ PhD Research Group
Tel.: +49 331 977-1107
Email: judith.coffeyuuni-potsdampde
Internet:http://www.uni-potsdam.de/minorcosmopolitanisms/activities/opening-event.html
Press Release 00-00-2016 / No. 150
Jana Scholz
University of Potsdam
Department for Press and Public Relations
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14469 Potsdam
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Fax: +49 331 977-1130
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Published online by: Daniela Großmann
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