Learning about the world – Alexander von Humboldt devoted his life to this endeavor, and it was not something that could be done at his desk at home. Time after time he traveled to distant regions of the world. Humboldt's scholarly reputation rests not solely on his travel research and being a citizen of the world, but also on his interdisciplinary approach as a universal scholar.  This latter part of his heritage underlies the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation's research fellowship program. The program offers scholars from around the world and in any discipline an opportunity to spend 6 to 18 months performing research at a German research institution. During this period, the Humboldt research fellows conduct their own research projects with the support of their academic hosts. At Freie Universität Berlin there are about 50 Humboldt research fellows each year. Many of them are specialized in regional issues, particularly in the fields of humanities and social sciences.

November 4: Dr. Martin Andreas Hainz (University of Vienna)
Die Stadt Czernowitz – eine multikulturelle Oase?
Introduction by Dr. Georg Schütte (Secretary General of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation)

November 11: Prof. Dr. Mirta Varela (University of Buenos Aires)
The Representation of Masses: Images in the Media in Argentina, 1969–2001

November 18: Nathaniel Scheer (Political Advisor, Maryland House of Delegates)
Maryland’s Energy Market: Deregulation, Supply and the Push for Renewable Energy

November 25: Prof. Dr. Claudia Breger (Indiana University, Bloomington, USA)
Extreme Selbstdokumentationen. Kollektive (Bühnen-) Identitäten in Andres Veiels "Der Kick" und Feridun Zaimoglus "Schwarze Jungfrauen"

December 2: Prof. Dr. Miroslav Barta (Charles University in Prague)
Decline of the Old Kingdom Egypt. The Collapse of a Complex Society

December 9: Dr. Monika Baár (University of Groningen, Netherlands)
Geschichtsschreibung und die Nation im 19. Jahrhundert: das Fallbeispiel Ostmitteleuropa

January 13: Dr. Przemyslaw Marciniak (University of Silesia, Katowice)
The Reception of Byzantium in European Culture between the 17th and 20th Centuries

January 20: Dr. Denis Sdvizkov (Russian Academy of Sciences)
Imperium als Stil: Russland und Frankreich im Vergleich, 1800–1830

January 27: Prof. Dr. Kutaimis Görkay (Ankara University)
Zeugma in Commagene

February 3: Dr. Johan den Hertog (Leiden University, Netherlands)
Der Kampf um die Neutralität. Die Niederlande während des Ersten Weltkriegs

February 10: Dr. Gábor Eröss (Hungarian Academy of Sciences)
Was für Wissenschaften und Wissensformen (ge)brauchen Politiker? Eine europäische Forschung in acht Ländern

Dates and Location:

November 4, 2008, to February 10, 2009, Tuesdays, 4 to 6 pm, Room 203, John F. Kennedy Institute, Lansstraße 7-9, 14195 Berlin, subway U3 (Dahlem Dorf)

Further information may be obtained from:

Anja vom Stein, Center for Area Studies, Freie Universität Berlin, Telephone: +49 (0)30 838 52881, Email: geschaeftsstelle@cas.fu-berlin.de