Max-Weber-Kolleg welcomes new members in the winter semester 2021/22

The Max-Weber-Kolleg for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt welcomes numerous new fellows and junior researchers from Germany and abroad in the winter semester 2021/22.

This academic year, Professor Corinna Riva (Great Britain) with a research project on „Citizenship and religion in 1st-millennium-bc mediterranean: Etruria and Iberia“ and Professor Kiran Klaus Patel (Munich) with his project „Presence in contemporary history“ are Distinguished Fellows of the Max-Weber-Kolleg.

The research group „Religion and Urbanity: Reciprocal Formations“, which focuses on India, welcomes the following new fellows this semester: Professor Raminder Kaur (India) with the research project „Sacred Cities: Magnets for Mercantilism, Moralities, Worship and Salvation“; Dr Christina Williamson (Netherlands), who has come to Erfurt again to work on the topic „Festival hubs. Deep-mapping sanctuaries in the ancient Greek world“; Dr Mara Albrecht with the project „The Space-Time of Urban Violence and Violence Control in the British Empire – The Riots in Belfast (late 19th and early 20th century) and in Jerusalem during the Mandate Period“. Dr des. Marlis Arnhold is researching „Death and the Dead in the City – A Case Study on Roman and Late Antique Athens“. PhD candidate Austin Collins (UK) is researching within a cotutelle agreement with Durham „The Reach of Royal Power in France: Examining how the Valois Monarchy Reacted to the Centre and the Periphery, 1547–1589 „. The associated postdoc Thomas Schader is researching „Urban Piety between Resonance and Dissonance. Seville and Lisbon from the Perspective of German Jesuits“.

The International Graduate School „Resonant Self-World Relations in Ancient and Modern Socio-Religious Practices“, which is conducted in cooperation with the University of Graz, welcomes Alina Zeller as a new doctoral researcher, who is writing her dissertation on „Trachtenvereine in den USA: Praktiken im Spannungsfeld um deutschamerikanische Ethnizität“. Also newly admitted is the doctoral researcher Christopher Bégin (Canada) with the project „Religiosity and rituals in clubbing: resonance in unity, consumption and timelessness“.

The research group „Social Philosophy and Social Theory“ can also welcome two new doctoral researchers: Steven Sello is working on an „Examination of Life Advice Literature in the 20th Century“ and Sophie von Kalckreuth is working on the topic of „Body Phenomenology as a Normative Framework for the Use of Digital Technologies in Care“.

Within the framework of the new Collaborative Research Centre (SFB TRR 294) „Structural Changes of Property Regimes“ in cooperation with the University of Jena, the new doctoral researchers Philipp Köncke and Lea Schneidemesser (Project JRT02 “Clash or Convergence of Capitalisms: Property Conflicts over Chinese Direct Investments in Germany and the European Union”) as well as the postdocs Sanjay Jothe (Project B01 Urban Property Regimes and Citizenship in Transition: Changing Ownership Patterns and Systems of Relatedness in India”), Sophia Bianchi Mancini and Maria Dell’Isola (both in the Project A01 “Divine Property: Solutions form Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages”) can be welcomed. 

The International Centre of Advanced Studies „Metamorphoses of the Political“ (ICAS–MP) welcomes as new Fellows Dr Shireen Mirza, who is researching „Stigma in the City: Making and Unmaking Mumbai City“ and Professor Shail Mayaram (India), who is continuing work on her book „Political/Non-political Islam“.

The Meister Eckhart Research Unit is supervising a new doctoral researcher: Lorenzo Cozzi (Italy) is working on the topic „The other Apocalypse. The thought of history in Nicholas of Lyra’s Postilla Litteralis“ and will carry out his doctorate within the framework of a cotutelle with Modena.

Dr Jasmin Lorch has been associated with her project „Cross-Regional and Cross-Religious Comparative Investigation“ as a post-doctoral researcher in the research group „Local Politicisation of Global Norms“.

The director of the Kolleg, Hartmut Rosa, is pleased about the newcomers from Germany and abroad and emphasises: „We are glad to be able to meet again in presence thanks to the 3-G regulation, as this way more intensive interactions are possible in the joint struggle for research questions.“

Max-Weber-Kolleg welcomes new fellows and collegians

In the summer semester of 2021, the Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt will once again welcome numerous new researchers from Germany and abroad.

The research group „Religion and Urbanity: Reciprocal Formations“, which focuses on India, welcomes the new coordinator Dr Klara-Maeve O’Reilly (Dublin/Görlitz) this semester. In addition, the following new fellows are welcomed: Professor Konstantin Akinsha (Italy), who will come to Erfurt again to work on the topic „Writing the 5th Gospel“; Professor Meera Dass (India), who will work on the topic „Through the Pillar: Religion and Urbanity of Besnagar 2nd century BCE to 7th century CE“, and Professor Cristiana Facchini (Italy), who is continuing her project „As a nautilus shell… Religious Diversity and Urbanity. An historical journey“. Dr. Francesca Fulminante (UK) will discuss her project on „Religion and Urbanity in its Formation: A case study from Early Rome and Central Italy“ in the collegiate research group. Professor Nimrod Luz (Israel) is investigating „The Infrastructures of Religiocity in Acre. Materialities of Faiths and their Politics in a Mixed Israeli City“. Dr Harry Maier (Canada) is working on „Practising the City: Spatial Imagination, Imperial Location, and Reciprocal Processes of Urban Transformation in Second Century Christianity“. And Professor Joachim Trezib (Germany) is investigating „Spatial formations of ‚Geist‘: Edgar Salin’s nomological concept of statehood and its relationship to the circle of Stefan George“.

The group „Social Theory and Social Philosophy“ welcomes the Predocs Heinrich Hofer and Steven Sello, who want to develop initial ideas for doctoral projects into an exposé within the framework of their Predoc fellowship. Associate Junior Fellow Dr Moritz von Kalckreuth is researching „On the interdisciplinary and inner-philosophical justification of a philosophy of values“. Associate Fellow Dr Christoph Baumgartner (Netherlands) is coming for another short stay to work on „Civil Relations under Conditions of Religious Diversity“.

In the International Graduate School „Resonant Self-World Relations in Ancient and Modern Socio-Religious Practices“, which is carried out in cooperation with the University of Graz, the doctoral student Seraphim Schirrmacher was associated, who will work on the topic „Music Lessons as a Space for Resonance in School?

The new special research area Transregio 294 „Strukturwandel des Eigentums“ is conducting research in cooperation with colleagues from Jena. In this context, we welcome Dr. Stefan Schmalz as Junior Research Team Leader as well as the Junior Researchers Jing Cheng, Helen A. Gibson, Sanjay Jothe, Ling Li, Anna Möllers, Moana Jean Packo, Varun Patil and Dirk Schuck. Maria Dell’Isola, Sofia Bianchi Manchini and Asfia Jamal will join them in the course of the summer semester.

The director of the Max-Weber-Kolleg, Hartmut Rosa, is pleased about the newcomers from Germany and abroad and emphasises: „On the one hand, we are happy to be able to offer the young researchers a great research environment and exciting contact persons thanks to the many experienced fellows at the Max-Weber-Kolleg, and on the other hand, we have made the experience that our fellows learn a lot from the young researchers. All the more reason for us to look forward to joint research and learning processes.“