The Conference at a Glance

Guest researchers and their counterparts from Freie Universität as well as junior researchers from their teams and Freie Universität alumni working in research and teaching, are invited to join this event to discuss current issues in the humanities in North America and Germany. The conference aims at facilitating exchange between researchers across the humanities and seeks to promote transatlantic research networks.

Program

Thursday, June 8, 2017

5.00 pm    Registration

5.30 pm    Welcome & Introduction by the hosting institutions
                 Claudia Olk, Dean of the Department of Philosophy and Humanities, Freie Universität and
                 Cathleen Fisher, American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation

5.45 pm    "Academic Speed Dating"
                 Talk about your research in 3 minutes and learn more
                 about the interests of other participants

6.30 pm    Dinner and Keynote
                 Do the Humanities Matter? The Importance of Humanities to Our Society
                 Homi K. Bhabha, Harvard University

Friday, June 9, 2017

9.00 am    Research in Germany – Characteristics, Funding Opportunities,
                 and International Cooperation
                 Presentation by Cathleen Fisher, American Friends of the
                 Alexander von Humboldt Foundation,
                 Katharina Niesert, German Research Foundation (DFG) and
                 Gerrit Rößler, German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD), 
                 moderated by Katja Simons, Freie Universität Liaison Office New York

10.00 am   Humanities – What’s Next? Current Research Trends and Issues
                  Round table discussion with opening statements by
                  1) Irene Kacandes, Dartmouth College
                  2) Beatrice Gründler, Freie Universität Berlin
                  Chair: Eric Banks, New York Institute for the Humanities at NYU

11.15 am   Coffee break

11.45 am    Humanities – Under Threat? German and U.S. Perspectives
                  Round table discussion with opening statements by
                  1) Noah Isenberg, The New School
                  2) Claudia Olk, Freie Universität Berlin
                  Chair: Herbert Grieshop, Freie Universität Berlin

1.00 pm    Wrap-Up Session

1.15 pm    Lunch and Farewell

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The meeting is a constituent part of the collaborative project “International Research Marketing” which is a joint initiative by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, the German Academic Exchange Service, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft. All the activities within the project are part of the “Promote Innovation and Research in Germany” initiative under its brand “Research in Germany”. The initiative is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.