News Archive

The German Historical Institute London (GHIL) is hosting a Summer School titled "Environment and the British Empire" from 19 to 22 July 2022. The Summer School will focus on the British Empire, with a particular emphasis on colonial India, to explore the relationship between imperialism and colonialism and the devastating, lasting changes to the global environment. How did colonial exploitation of natural resources and control of populations through political power and racial ideologies change the environment? The experts, renowned historians Prof. David Arnold (Emeritus Professor, University of Warwick) and Neeladri Bhattacharya (Ashoka University, formerly JNU, New Delhi), will discuss key issues in the history of environment and empire with students in a lively and stimulating atmosphere. While India and South Asia will be the focus of the summer school, examples from other parts of the British Empire, such as Africa and Southeast Asia, will also be covered. In addition to classes, excursions in London will also be organised as part of the programme.

The Summer School is aimed at advanced BA or MA students of History, English Studies or other related subjects at all German universities. An interest in the history of the British Empire and its colonies and/or in environmental history is desirable. The course is open to students from all German universities. There are 20 places in total. The summer school is part of the GHIL's India Research Programme. The course leader is Dr. Indra Sengupta, Head of the India Research Programme at GHIL. If you are interested, please apply in writing by 4 April with the following documents as a single PDF file and by email only to Dr. Indra Sengupta:

• A cover letter of 1-2 pages explaining why you would like to participate in the summer school;
• A short letter of recommendation from one of your lecturers;
• A list of the courses you have attended and exams you have taken.

The GHIL will cover the costs of travel and accommodation.

The Otto-von-Guericke-University is organising Study Information Days from 7 to 10 February 2022, as in the past two years in a digital format due to the pandemic situation. For four days, from 4 to 7 p.m., students can take a look at the University of Magdeburg and its diverse range of degree programmes in digital consultation hours and impulse lectures by study advisors from the nine faculties, and get answers to personal questions about specific degree programmes. The Cultural Engineering programme, which is administrated by the Chair of Anglophone Cultural and Literary Studies, will also be represented by student advisor PD Dr. Nora Pleßke, who will introduce the programme on Monday, 7 February, from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m., together with other programmes from the fields of society, culture and language. You can find all information about the Digital Study Info Days at the OVGU as well as the possibility to register here. You can also find out more about Cultural Engineering in advance on the programme's website, especially in the study structure section and in the FAQs.

On 18 and 19 November 2021, the German Society for the Study of British Cultures (BritCult) e.V. will hold its annual conference. The conference on "Investigating the Super-Rich: Representations of Great Wealth in British Cultures" will be hosted by the Department of English Studies at the University of Leipzig, but the conference will be held in an online-only format due to ongoing restrictions caused by the Corona pandemic. Part of the conference programme is a discussion forum "Analysing Wealth" on 19 November 2021, to which PD Dr. Nora Pleßke (Magdeburg), Prof. Dr. Ellen Grünkemeier (Bielefeld) und Prof. Dr. Joanna Rostek will contribute the paper "The Super-Rich through the Lens of Economic Criticism". This contribution grows out of the DFG-funded research network "Methodologies of Economic Criticism". Due to the online format, registration for the conference is free of charge, also for students, and can be done via the conferenz website.

With the start of the new school year, the Otto-von-Guericke-University Magdeburg would like to offer pupils a study orientation programme. Important decisions will have to be made in 2022, especially for the graduating classes: Training or studying? At the start of the school year in Saxony-Anhalt, pupils, teachers and parents are offered information about studying at OVGU at an early stage. For this reason, OVGU is organising a Digital Study Orientation Day on 17 September 2021. Between 3 and 8 p.m., topics such as semesters abroad, financing studies and finding strengths and weaknesses will be discussed. This is not so much about specific advice on a particular course of study, but rather about basic information about the study pathway. For more information and to register, please visit the event website.

Within the research project "Material and Cultural Heritage of the OVGU: Developing and Integrating Scientific University Collections as Infrastructures for Research" funded by the state of Saxony-Anhalt, the Chair of Anglophone Cultural and Literary Studies invites applications for two positions. For a limited period of three years each, one position of scientific assistant and one position of project assistant, each with 50% working time and remuneration according to TV-L 13 and TV-L 12, respectively, are advertised for 1 October 2021. The application deadline is 31 July 2021. Applications will be accepted via the online portal. If you have any questions, please contact Prof. Dr. Susanne Peters or PD Dr. Nora Pleßke.

The position of scientific assistant (50% TV-L 13) includes the following areas of responsibility:

• the processing of one's own research project in the field of interdisciplinary cultural studies, dedicated, for example, to the scholarly study of collections, knowledge research, collection practice and/or scholarly communication,
• the development of university collections as a research infrastructure,
• networking of collection and project activities as well as the expansion of cooperations,
• the conception and coordination of overarching projects,
• the presentation and communication of the collections within and outside the university.

Applicants should have the following profile:

• a very good university degree in interdisciplinary cultural studies or related subjects, preferably with a doctorate,
• strong research interest in relevant cultural studies topics (e.g. material culture studies, cultural heritage, cultural economy, urban culture, transformation design),
• experience in project work and very good methodological skills,
• willingness to develop local, national and international collaborations,
• reliable, conscientious and structured work, commitment, initiative, ability to work in a team as well as scientific curiosity and willingness to learn.

The position of project assistant (50% TV-L 12) includes the following areas of responsibility:

• the co-development of a research project in the field of interdisciplinary cultural studies dedicated to the scientific study of collections, knowledge research, collection practice and/or science communication,
• the indexing of university collections,
• collaboration in the presentation and mediation of the collections within and outside the university.

Applicants should have the following profile:

• successfully completed university education (B.A.) in interdisciplinary cultural studies or related subjects,
• research interest in relevant cultural studies topics (e.g. material culture studies, cultural heritage),
• experience in project work and very good methodological skills,
• willingness to co-develop local, national and international cooperations,
• reliable, conscientious and structured work, commitment, initiative, ability to work in a team as well as scientific curiosity and willingness to learn.