The ‚open society‘ is a philosophical concept emphasizing the importance of individual critical thinking and the freedom to do so, while being able to embrace social change and progress. Ideals of pluralism, liberalism and humanitarianism are considered essential facets of the open society and it is often conceived as constructive, rational or tolerant. Is this description accurate and can these ideals truly be transposed as archetypes for societal organization across the globe? Post-developmental theory, for instance, offers a more comprehensive critique of the normative and political premises underlying the concept of the open society. This criticism inspires further question on the viability of the idea of an open society in the 21st century: Should such criticism be justified empirically or conceptually? Are there aspects of the open society that consistently withstands this criticism? What are suitable alternatives to replace or complement key insights associated with open societies, like, for instance, the postulate to substitute argument for violence?

Carolina Alves
Economics (University of Cambridge)

Karin Fischer
Sociology (University of Linz)

Jakob Kapeller
Socio-Economics (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Paul Marx
Political Science (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Historically, the practice of identity politics has emerged as an integral component of the social and political movements of the second half of the 20th century, among them the feminist, Black Civil Rights, LGBTQ, and indigenous liberation movement. Fighting against intolerance and injustice, oppression and discrimination, activists joined forces to claim recognition of their rights and senses of group and self-identity. The term and idea of identity politics made its first appearance in the field of cultural politics in the 1980s and 1990s, thereafter it gained increasing interest in the political and social sciences.  In present society, the politics of identity has turned into a highly contested terrain. The psychologist Steven Pinker has condemned identity politics as an “enemy of reason and Enlightenment values”. The philosopher Danny Frederick has expressed concerns that it fosters intolerance and irrationalism and thus poses a risk to open societies and their liberalism. Where (and by whom and why) is identity politics brought into social discourse and cultural practice as an accusation, where as an emancipatory project? When and where is identity politics becoming illiberal and authoritarian? On what programmatic and value basis can it contribute to liberalism and democracy? What constructions of identity underlie different understandings of identity politics?

Helen Baykara-Krumme
Sociology (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Sven Lütticken
Art History (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam)

Birgit Mersmann
Modern and Contemporary Art History (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Narratives/realities of contemporary societies are, inter alia, constructed and (re-)produced by performances. Seen through the lens of Performance Studies, performances can be described as ‘doings’, as (inter-)actions and behaviors that are learned, rehearsed, presented, revised, then presented time and again. Consequently, performances have the capacity to stabilize and equally destabilize and transform narratives/realities. In performances, narratives/realities of contemporary societies gain a certain materiality, that is, corporeality, spatiality and “tonality” (Fischer-Lichte). In three performative and participatory labs, we, hence, want to explore narratives/realities of contemporary societies in terms of their corporal, spatial and tonal realms. Each group will present the current status of their findings on the last day of the spring school.

In LAB 1 we will look at corporal practices of everyday life as well as physical performances that are intended for reception by the public. We will, thus, set out to jointly work on a miniature ‘performative glossary’ (choreography) of physical performances that (re-)produce narratives/realities of contemporary societies.

In LAB 2 we want to examine a small section of a contemporary narrative, that is, the “european constitution in verse” by Van Reybrouck and Vermeersch, a critical, poetic reformulation of a treaty intended to unite. We will set out to explore ways of finding plural, heterophonous (potentially dissonant) voices in the act of choral speaking (speaking in unison).

Participants in LAB 3 are invited to reflect upon, conceptualize and draft (a model for) an area/surface to be installed or staged in public space for the public to shape it, to add visual qualities, to express certain narratives/realities of their lifeworld.

Markus Kubesch
Theatre Research (University of Duisburg-Essen)

Thilo Ullrich
Stage and Costume Designer
 

Dominic Zerhoch
Theatre Research (Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz)

Ludger Pries (Sociology: University of Bochum)

Sense of community despite or because of transnationalisation?

Carolina Alves (Economics: University of Cambridge)

Economic science and development policy as colonial practices

Naika Foroutan (Integration Research and Social Policy: Humboldt University of Berlin)

Identity politics.

The University of Duisburg-Essen is one of the largest universities in Germany offering a broad academic spectrum. Duisburg is located at the heart of the Ruhr industrial area and at the intersections of the Rhine and Ruhr rivers.

The Spring School will take place in the Landschaftspark Duisburg-Nord https://www.landschaftspark.de

Accessibility
Please find more information about accessibility here
https://www.landschaftspark.de/en/visitor-information/accessibility/
If you have any questions or need assistance please contact us by email.

Child Care
If you need childcare for your children during the Spring School, please contact us by email. We have organised day care for your children.

Costs
400 € including tuition, accommodation and meals

Contact

Anja Gampe / Georg Hubmann

springschool22@uni-due.de

Landschaftspark Duisburg