Award-winning dissertations

On 17 April, the Bielefeld University Society (UGBi) awarded prizes for the best doctoral theses at Bielefeld University. Two BGHS alumni were among the winners.

Julia Engelschalt (© Daniele Toro)

In her historical doctoral thesis entitled "The Great Obsession: Tropicality in U.S.-American Colonial Medicine and Domestic Public Health, 1898-1924", Julia Engelschalt analysed how climate determinism and scientific racism combined to form the idea of the 'tropics' in medical thinking in the USA in the early 20th century. In her habilitation project, which Julia is working on at TU Darmstadt, she is focussing on the connection between hunger, the grain economy and supply infrastructures in the Mediterranean region between 1770 and 1920.

Aziz Mensah (© Art Studio, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

Aziz Mensah's sociological doctoral thesis is also about health. In his work with the title "Work- and life-related social determinants of health and health differences among workers across Europe", he showed that work-related and life-related social factors have an effect on the health of workers and that this effect differs between men and women and in different European countries. Aziz now holds a postdoctoral position at the University of Mälardalen in Sweden, where he is studying the harmful use of alcohol by workers in gender-segregated industries.

Congratulations from the BGHS!

"Linie 4" - Of pupils' labs and friendship networks of young people

In May and June 2024, the public lecture series "Linie 4 - News from social science and historical research", organised by the BGHS in cooperation with the vhs Bielefeld, will take place for the eighth time. Two doctoral researchers from the BGHS will present their current research work in a clear and understandable way and discuss it with the audience of the vhs. This time, the focus is on the lives of young people. The presentations take place on Mondays from 6.15-8pm at the vhs Bielefeld (Room 240) in Ravensberger Park.

On 13 May, Vanessa Neumann will report on her project in the SFB 1288 Practices of Comparison, which deals with the establishment of a so-called pupils' laboratory in historical studies, which enables pupils to gain their first practical experience in historical research. In her presentation "Working in the history lab: school meets science!", she provides insights into previous experiences with the pupils' lab format, which offers workshops on topics such as denazification from an American perspective, cultures of remembrance using the example of Columbus Day and the scope of human rights.

The presentation "Friendships in sport: How boys and girls make different friends in sport" by Simon Lütkewitte, which will take place on 3 June, will focus on the experiences of young people in organised sport. Using statistical data from the study "Friendship and Identity at School" (FIS), he will address the question of whether there is a connection between participation in team sports or other forms of organised sport and the proportion of same or mixed-gender friendships and what conclusions can be drawn from this for social development.

The two presentations offer insight into the research conducted at the BGHS. As in previous years, however, the main focus will be on the exchange between the doctoral researchers and the audience at the vhs Bielefeld. Vivid presentations, clever follow-up questions and exciting discussions are intended to bring the University and the city of Bielefeld a little closer together. The lectures are in German.

Paths to a professorship - concrete!

On 13 May 2024 at 3 pm, the BGHS will host an online meeting under the title "BGHS Alumni's Experiences on the Way to a Professorship" with four BGHS alumni who have found their way into an academic career. Among them are:

Gleb Albert, Assistant Professor of Modern General and Eastern European History at the University of Lucerne (Switzerland)

Karolina Barglowski, Associate professor in Sociology, Social Interventions and Social Politics at the Université du Luxembourg (Luxembourg)

Yaatsil Guevara González, Assistant Professor of Migration and the Americas at the University of Heidelberg (Germany)

Mahshid Mayar, Deputy Professor of English Studies at the University of Mannheim (Germany)

In conversation with Clara Buitrago from the BGHS Office, the researchers will talk about their own academic paths and face the question whether a dream has actually come true. They will also give tips on career paths in academic science and answer questions. The event will be held in English.

For registration, please send an email to bghs@uni-bielefeld.de.

 Memories between Life Stories and History

How is it actually possible to tell one's own life story against the backdrop of a complex historical context? The Interdisciplinary Dialogue on "Memories between Life Stories and History", which the BGHS is hosting on Monday, 15 April 2024 at 6 p.m. in room X-B2-103, is dedicated to this question. The filmmaker Danielle Schwartz from Tel Aviv addressed this question in her award-winning short film "Mirror Image", in which she has a conversation with her grandparents about their biography. Using a wall mirror, which occupies a prominent place in the grandparents' house, different perspectives on historical circumstances are negotiated.

Danielle Schwartz will introduce the film at the Interdisciplinary Dialogue and discuss the question of the relationship between life stories and history with sociologist Ruth Ayaß and historian Bettina Brandt. The dialogue will be moderated by Sabine Schäfer from the BGHS. Following the dialogue, the BGHS cordially invites you to a reception in the BGHS Lounge.