Known worldwide for his work in cultural theory, Dr. Bhabha held a talk titled “The Fragility of Democracy: Is understanding racial trauma the key to resiliency?,” which met with major interest. Some 650 people attended the keynote lecture with subsequent discussion in Lecture Hall 10, which was packed to capacity. Professor Birgit Ulrike Münch, Vice-Rector for International Affairs, introduced the speaker, whom she had invited to the International Days event: “We sought to invite Homi Bhabha to Bonn as a scholar dedicated to research and teaching whose work has shaped academic history during his own lifetime, taking on an international influence not bounded by any one academic discipline, and whose writings and theories, such as ‘the third space,’ have stimulated and strongly influenced many of us all across the spectrum of cultural studies ever since our own days as students.”
Homi K. Bhabha—a preeminent thinker in the humanities
Dr. Bhabha began by expressing his gratitude for the great interest in his talk: “People say, if you want to fall in love, go to Paris. But if you want to feel loved, you should come to Bonn.” In his keynote, he proceeded to look at various crises and conflicts that are currently posing a threat to global democracy, citing the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, racist police violence in the United States and the conflict in the Middle East. “And universities are no haven from the world’s ills,” he pointed out, observing how the humanities and the arts can play an important role in resolving conflicts. This is because they validate the feelings that are important to the process: doubt and vulnerability. Following the keynote address, the Harvard professor discussed his thought and theories with the audience.
A workshop was held to take a deeper dive into Bhabha’s work titled “Third Space Turns 30: Revisit. Reflect. React?” At the workshop, the cultural theorist talked with University of Bonn researchers and students about the influence of his book, published 30 years ago, which brought about a paradigm shift in the humanities. The talk centered on what things have remained unchanged, what narratives have evolved, and what the consequences of this will be. The over 100 workshop participants gathered at five differently themed tables which Bhabha circulated around, engaging in discussion of his theories from varying academic perspectives—not unlike a chess grandmaster playing a simultaneous tournament—before addressing everyone in conclusion.
Strengthening partnerships of equals with the Global South
Professor Dorothea Kleine held a lecture on partnerships of equals in South-North-South cooperation. “In today’s age, sharing knowledge across borders could not be more important,” stated Vice Rector Münch when introducing the speaker. Kleine, who is Professor of Human Geography at the University of Sheffield, then gave a talk on her many years of experience collaborating with researchers from the Global South, focusing on the (supposed) power gap and on differences between the academic sectors of North versus South. Kleine and her team have compiled extensive materials useful to researchers at their institution in an effort to make the University of Sheffield a better partner for researchers from the South, including a list of key players in North-South research cooperation and proposals on decolonizing research. “We need to learn from each other,” emphasized Kleine, who integrated enriching interactive elements into her lecture.
Bonn University Ambassadors visit their alma mater
The Bonn University Ambassadors workshop was again an integral part of the International Days this year, held by scholars who worked as researchers at the University of Bonn for a considerable period of time and now serve as its foreign ambassadors. The Ambassadors come from all over the world, and as part of representing their German alma mater in their home countries, they inform interested students and researchers about opportunities to study and work in Bonn, establish contacts abroad and maintain regular contact with Bonn researchers, partly through collaborative teaching, joint courses and research partnerships. These annual get-togethers are indicative of how strong their close ties to Bonn are, where they get to network with others at the University and launch teaching and research initiatives that keep the program’s content growing over the longer term.
This time around ambassadors traveled to Bonn to attend from universities in Jordan, Ghana, India, Brazil, Canada, the US, the UK and other countries. Vice-Rector Münch commented: “The different perspectives evident in the feedback we receive on our work at the University of Bonn are highly valuable, such as in the areas of marketing and recruitment this year.” What was originally a project became established as a long-term program, and now the Bonn University Ambassadors are seen as an integral part of the University of Bonn’s Internationalization Strategy.
Early-career researchers and prominent scholars honored by government representatives
The International Days event is about many things, not least the presentation of awards for excellence in research. This year, six talented early-career researchers received awards. State awards sponsored by the governments of France, Spain, the US and the UK went to Katharina Roth, Michelle Müller, Annalena Ebermann, Luis Manuel Ontiveros-Meza and Delphine Marie Wellié, while the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) Prize for social commitment was earned by Hussein Morobeid. Rector Michael Hoch commented: “Hosting the state awards is a most valuable opportunity, being emblematic of the internationality of our University, here in the UN city of Bonn, and of our ties with other nations.” Representatives of the awarding governments and of the DAAD came to Bonn to present the awards in person at the ceremony, at which the recipients gave short presentations on the papers they were being recognized for.
Alongside this now-traditional awards ceremony at the International Days, this year there was a special occasion as Professor Paul Geyer received the Ordre des Palmes académiques. Geyer is a Romance studies scholar whose work has done much in furtherance of German-French relations in the academic community. “Paul Geyer has made tremendous contributions in promoting international ties,” said Vice Rector Münch, “and we are proud to see him honored with one of the oldest and highest awards the French government bestows for accomplishments in the field of education.”
The program for the International Days 2024 was organized by the Vice Rector for International Affairs and her team, who sees the event as a complete success: “We were very pleased at the overwhelming interest in the International Days 2024. We again succeeded in bringing together diverse perspectives and in stimulating international dialogue at the highest level, involving the entire academic community in Bonn. We had the privilege of discussing Bhabha’s concept of culture as a hybrid, multifaceted and polyphonic category from differing research viewpoints, allowing us to reflect on the great potential for cultural studies borne by scholars across the spectrum of academic fields.”
More impressions and results of the International Days 2024 can be found here.
