Intercultural knowledge

World Literature, Religion, Identities

In a globalized world, understanding one's own and other cultures is essential. The University of Bern makes valuable contributions with its interdisciplinary research in history, psychology, philosophy, theology, gender studies, linguistics, and other cultural studies.

Current

Philosophy

Einstein Lectures 2024 about human selves

US philosopher Susan R. Wolf is holding the Einstein Lectures this year. Under the title “Our Selves”, she is dedicating her three lectures to the question of what makes us human.

Postcolonial history

Bern travelers sought their salvation in Africa – with fatal consequences

In his PhD thesis, Tevodai Mambai investigates how and why well-known Bern travelers such as René Gardi and Charlotte von Graffenried painted a derogatory and at the same time idealizing picture of his people – and finds long-lost sacred Mafa artifacts in Swiss museums.

Debate on Restitution

Swiss museums face up to their responsibilities

More and more countries are willing to return looted colonial art. The Swiss approach to the restitution of Benin Bronzes to Nigeria is unique: It was created bottom-up, driven by a sense of justice and the interest of curators in cultural exchange and knowledge transfer.

Postcolonial studies

“Afrotopia” – postcolonial perspectives for the entire planet

A new generation of intellectuals is further developing the postcolonial debate – from an African perspective and from the perspective of the African diaspora. This gives rise to utopian plans for the future of the African continent, but also far beyond it.

Afrofuturism

Under the sign of Sankofa

The Djiboutian novelist Abdourahman Waberi reflects on his Dürrenmatt Guest Professorship in World Literature in Bern. Together with his students, he pondered the possibilities: Could the future be African? His vision, symbolised by a West African animal, is clear and optimistic.

Biased teachers

Media release

A study reveals biases in the grading of 14 000 ninth-graders in Germany: Gender, weight, ethnic origin and the socio-economic status of parents play a significant role in the allocation of grades.

People

Outstanding young researcher

“Young Scholars” prize for Catherine Gibson

This year, the Walter Benjamin Kolleg honors Catherine Gibson from the University of Tartu, Estonia, as an excellent young scholar who is able to communicate her findings on Eastern European history, among other things, to a broad public.

Walter Benjamin Kolleg

A question for Claus Beisbart

Does science have to shake things up?

A pointed response from a philosophy of science perspective.

Literature

Determine the path – make the choice

So you’re off. On a hike in Vaud. This is where thoughts and conversations about literature meander: decisions in literary texts. Soon the hike becomes an allegory of literature. Because here as there, people act by deciding to leave, sometimes confiding in one another.

University and studies

Better decisions in sports and traffic

Christian Vater is one of eight researchers at the University of Bern to receive a coveted Starting Grant from the Swiss National Science Foundation. He will use it to investigate the role of peripheral vision in complex decisions.

Social anthropology

“Not conforming to the norm is also an act of self-love”

Social anthropologist Serena Owusua Dankwa studied the life stories of women in Ghana who love women. To do so, she left Western notions of sexual identity and the LGBTQ scene behind.

Theology

“A lecture is not a sermon”

Katharina Heyden is Professor of Ancient History of Christianity and is an ordained priest. Her research focuses in particular on interreligious encounters. She obtains her research material from text sources, art and archeology.

Uni Bern Magazin: Thema Intercultural knowledge