Globalization and Diversity 2018

Globalization and Diversity


August 2 to August 15, 2018


The International Summer School "Globalization and Diversity" provided students with an overview of current debates on social diversity, taking place both on a global and a local scale. First, students gained theoretical knowledge through lectures by international scholars. The lectures covered current trends in diversity research, different dimensions of diversity and their intersections and explain the importance of diversity-related knowledge in education and management. Secondly, they learned about specifically German perspectives and topics related to diversity. Part of this included excursions to a variety of local sites. These included a concentration camp memorial site as well as the museum and transit camp Friedland. Finally, students were able to pursue their own research in student-led seminars and group work in order to prepare essays or BA- and MA- theses. Students also presented their own work in one of the classes.



Program

In a first module students were introduced to different perspectives on diversity in the context of globalization. This was done through lectures and seminars. In a second module students experienced and discussed further diversity-related topics, approaching specifically Germany-related topics and perspectives dealing with aspects to diversity in the past and present.


Module I: The students were introduced to different perspectives on diversity in the context of globalization through seven lectures, seminars and student led seminars. Thus, different didactic strategies were used to


  • Prepare discussions with key note speakers and/or
  • Clarify specific views on globalization and diversity and/or
  • Reflect on individual research proposals
  • Reflect differences of academic cultures



Module II: The excursions are meant to cover further diversity-related topics such as memory culture, activism or cultural heritage sites with the achievement of intercultural competencies


  • Mittelbau-Dora, concentration camp site memorial of the Third Reich (one day excursion)
  • Friedland Transit Camp - Perspectives on Migration, the Transit Camp from 1945 to today (one day excursion)
  • Guided City Tour: Science with Charme - historical women of the city and in the university



The Summer School also included preparation, a short presentation and a concluding essay.



Speakers

Dr. Kristin Aune, Coventry University (Gender, Religion)

Dr. Laura Fantone, UC Berkeley (Visual and Post-colonial Studies)

Dr. Yvonne Franke, University of Göttingen (Globalization, Global Social Inequality)

Prof. Dr. Sabine Grenz, University of Vienna (Gender and Sexual Difference)

Prof. Dr. Shinji Kajitani, University of Tokyo (Philosophie, Comparative Culture, Medical History)




Organizers

Acting professor Dr. Astrid Biele Mefebue, Faculty of Social Sciences, Göttingen Diversity Research Institute

Kristina Schneider, Faculty of Social Sciences, Göttingen Diversity Research Institute

Professor Dr. Andrea D. Bührmann, Faculty of Social Sciences, Göttingen Diversity Research Institute