International conference
Press release from 12/20/2011
Scientists discussed "The future of the humanities in a multipolar world" on the Museum Island. How is the future of the humanities shaping up in our multipolar world? What role do the humanities play in a 21st century society characterised by cultural and social change and how do they see their new and established fields of activity?
These were the questions raised by the Konstanz Science Forum at its international conference "The Future of the Humanities in a Multipolar World" in Berlin, which was organised in cooperation with the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation and the Volkswagen Foundation. Around 170 international guests discussed the new positioning and status of the humanities in the 21st century. Speakers invited to the Pergamon Museum included Prof. Homi K. Bhabha (Harvard University), the German scholar Prof. Dr David Simo from the University of Yaoundé in Cameroon and Prof. Dr Jürgen Osterhammel, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at the University of Konstanz.
The topics of the discussions and lectures included the significance of the humanities in different regions of the world such as Africa and the Middle East, how to deal with the crisis-ridden self-perception of the humanities and the role of the humanities in shaping future social coexistence. "The humanities are the excellent place where the modern world, modern society, obtains an orienting knowledge of itself, and this in scientific form," summarises Prof Dr Jürgen Mittelstraß, who is also the curator of the Konstanz Science Forum.
In the rotunda of the Altes Museum in Berlin, the multi-award-winning American scientist Prof Martha C. Nussbaum pointed out the central role of the humanities in education and training. Schools and universities are the places where democracy and human rights are practised: "What significance does education have for democracy? We urgently need to think about this, because radical changes are taking place in education and training without these being discussed publicly. By focussing only on economic gain, individual countries are carelessly throwing overboard skills based on the humanities that are needed to keep a democracy alive: These are the skills to think critically, to transcend local loyalties, to approach world problems with the eyes of a 'global citizen' and to be empathetic to the problems of our fellow citizens."
"This conference, at which the functions and potential of the humanities were examined from different perspectives, provided us with important ideas for our funding," summarised Dr Wilhelm Krull, Secretary General of the Volkswagen Foundation. Krull emphasised that the humanities require special support - even for seemingly marginal topics. Prof. Dr Hermann Parzinger, President of the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation (SPK), also supported this point: "The Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation is an important player both in humanities research and in communicating its findings to a broad public. Its museums, libraries and archives form a unique archive of knowledge and offer enormous potential for large-scale, cross-institutional research."
The conference also highlighted the positive development of the humanities, which has put an end to the obstructive relevance discussions of the past and is allowed to carry out research and teaching in the humanities without any pressure to justify itself. The much-cited crisis in the humanities is over despite chronic underfunding, according to the tenor. "As far as the humanities are concerned, I am very optimistic," Homi K. Bhabha agreed with this general perception.