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CfA: KWI International Fellowships & Thyssen@KWI Fellowship
Join us at KWI – or help us to spread the word! Calls for applications are currently open for KWI International Fellowships and the Thyssen@KWI Fellowship for the period from 1 April to 30 September 2027, with a submission deadline of 17 August 2026 for both.
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CfP: Special Issue on Comic Literacies
The call is open for proposed contributions to a special issue of the journal Comedy Studies, which will investigate "comic literacies" by focussing on two interconnected questions: How does comedy depend on historically and culturally variable knowledge formations? And how can research access and theorize this implicit knowledge? Proposals are due by the end of July 2026, with the issue projected for 2028.
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New Blog Series
It has been a fruitful season for the KWI Blog, with three different series. In May, “Wahrheitsdinge” presented texts investigating how the production of truth takes material form. “Soziologische Fiktionen”, beginning in June, offers an invitation to take fiction seriously as a form of sociological thinking. At the end of June, “Fäden” will pick up threads as its theme, considering practical, decorative, and revolutionary handcrafts.
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Working Group on Mistrust and Misinformation
Carlos Zúñiga Nieto (KWI and TU Dortmund) and Sonja Pyykkö (UDE) have formed the working group “Circuits of Mistrust and Misinformation in the Americas”, investigating historical and contemporary dynamics from Alaska to Patagonia. As one of four groups selected for the PostdocLab programme of the College for Social Sciences and Humanities, they presented their agenda at a kick-off meeting on 7 May.
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 “Krumme Straße” Podcast
With nine episodes already available and over 9,000 downloads to date, the joint podcast of KWI and Merkur is gaining resonance with its in-depth conversations and far-reaching topics. In the coming months, guests will include KWI colleagues Mona Leinung on red lines and Roxanne Phillips on comedy. Listen and subscribe!
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Exploration of our annual theme is well under way! With her lecture in April, Dorit Geva offered insight into neoliberalism and the production of truth. In a May podium discussion, Corinna Norrick-Rühl and Mareike Stoll looked at US book bans and what is deemed presentable for children and youth. In early June, Rupert Gaderer talked about his new book Reaktionsmaschine, parsing social media and digital conflict. Still to come in June, Andrea Polaschegg and Matías Martínez will present perspectives on the "rote Faden" – or common thread – and Nils C. Kumkar and Hannes Krämer will put polarization up for debate, with input from Julika Griem and Friedrich Balke. |
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| Colloquium
The colloquium provides a platform to present and discuss ongoing as well as emerging research projects. In addition to projects within KWI – including the work of our new fellows – it is open to guest lectures that tie in with the institute's research agenda.
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Lectures: Die Kunst des roten Fadens
17 June 2026, 18:30 (CET), KWI & ZOOM
Speakers: Andrea Polaschegg, Matías Martínez
Moderation: Roxanne Phillips
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Podium Discussion: Produktiv spalten? Polarisierung als kommunikative Herausforderung
24 June 2026, 18:30 (CET), KWI & Zoom
Speakers: Nils C. Kumkar, Hannes Krämer
Moderation: Julika Griem, Friedrich Balke
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Lecture: Expropriation in Modern History
30 June 2026, 18:30 (CET), KWI & Zoom
Speaker: Nicholas Mulder
Moderation: Danilo Scholz
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Podium Discussion: Was war Kulturkrieg? Auseinandersetzungen um Ideologie, Weltanschauung und Wissenschaft seit 1850
08 July 2026, 18:30 (CET), KWI & Zoom
Speakers: Kurt Bayertz, Barbara Beßlich
Moderation: Hanna Engelmeier
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Book Presentation: Was war Faschismustheorie?
09 July 2026, 19:30 (CET), readymade, Gelsenkirchen
Speakers: Mona Leinung, Morten Paul
Moderation: Lukas Hermann
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 FROM THE MEDIA
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Roxanne Phillips on guilty pleasures as reflection of social norms and power dynamics
(Radioeins “Die Profis”)
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Paul Buckermann in conversation “Jenseits des Verzichts”
(Deutschlandfunk “Lebenszeit”)
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Julika Griem on the Bochum theatre scandal
“Wo trifft man Faschisten? Doch nicht etwa im Theater?”
(FAZ / paywall)
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“Guilty Pleasures als Geltungskonsum? Kulturelle Omnivore, Snobismus und das Faible für authentischen Trash” by Paul Buckermann
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“Theories of Art Biennials and Globalization: Symptom, Driving Force, World Event” by Aleksandra Barjaktarević and Paul Buckermann
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Was war Faschismustheorie? edited by Morten Paul, with contributions from among others Stefan Höhne and Mona Leinung
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“In Serie G/gehen. Komische Modellierungen des Populären (Stranitzky, Normand, Ridley)” by Roxanne Phillips
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“(Im)Mobility Infrastructures in a Post-Resettlement Context: How a Chinese Project Produced Movers and Stayers in Laos” by Floramante SJ Ponce
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“Schlaflied der Ungleichheit. Französische und amerikanische Nanny-Romane” by Laura M. Reiling
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Wissensräume jenseits der Universität. Zur Konfiguration der Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften im frühen 20. Jahrhundert edited by Oliver Römer and Alexander Wierzock, with contributions from among others Uwe Dörk and Danilo Scholz
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