Alexander von Humboldt Conference at Freie Universität

International Conference: Over 300 Scholars Meet July 27 – 31 to Discuss "Travels between Europe and the Americas"

№ 187/2009 from Jul 10, 2009

The fifth international, interdisciplinary Alexander von Humboldt Conference will take place from July 27 to 31, 2009, at Freie Universität Berlin. The organizers expect over 300 scholars from around the world to present papers under the general theme "Travels between Europe and the Americas." The conference in Berlin is being organized jointly by Freie Universität and Humboldt State University in Arcata, California. The conference is open to interested members of the public.

The Alexander von Humboldt Conference will cover twelve subject areas under the general theme of travel between Europe and North and Latin America between the 15th and 21st centuries. Presentations will include travel to countries ruled by dictators, the themes of emigration and exile, and travel from the perspective of gender and sexuality.

The approx. 300 lectures will be held in English, German, and Spanish – for the non-English presentations, English translations will be projected onto screens. Participants are expected from 21 disciplines and 28 countries, including Mexico, Brazil, Cuba, the U.S.A., Canada, Russia,  South Africa, New Zealand, Korea, and Japan.

The conference will begin July 27 with an opening ceremony and a literary journey around the world. The location will be the Max Kade Auditorium (Audimax) in the Henry Ford Building, Garystraße 35. All the other events will be held in the humanities/social sciences building, Habelschwerdter Allee 45. The highlights of the fringe events will include a reading by the Austrian travel writer, Christoph Ransmayr, and an anniversary screening of the film "Die Besteigung des Chimborazo" (GDR 1989), in which Jan Josef Liefers as Alexander von Humboldt demands the freedom to travel, just a few weeks before the fall of the Berlin Wall.

The Alexander von Humboldt Conference program online: www.humboldtconference2009.de.

For further information, please contact:

Professor Oliver Lubrich, Freie Universität Berlin, Peter Szondi Institute of Comparative Literature, Email: lubrich@zedat.fu-berlin.de