Center for InterAmerican Studies

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium presented by CIAS, Focus Area SHIFT, ASTA Uni Bielefeld. Dr. Kwame Dixon (Howard University)

2026-07-02T17:43:11+02:00

As the United States celebrates its 250th anniversary, CIAS, Focus Area SHIFT, and ASTA have joined forces for the upcoming edition of the InterAmerican Studies Colloquium to present this keynote address by Professor Kwame Dixon of Howard University (Washington D.C.). This lecture will focus on the current struggle for human rights, and democracy in the US and the role of the country in global affairs: domestically, it will highlight the struggle for voting and minority rights, the upcoming midterm elections, grassroots resistance and civil society mobilization; internationally the focus will be on the role of US imperialism and the recent military interventions in the Middle East and Latin America. What is the current state of democratic institutions in the US? What is the current state of human rights in the US and the Americas? What role are social movements and civil society playing in safeguarding human rights in the US and abroad? What commitment does the US have towards multicultural democratic institutions and for protecting the rights of previously excluded groups like African American, Asians, Latino/as Women and other groups? How do we make sense of the US's recent military interventions in the Middle East and Latin America and what are some of the geo-political consequences?

Dr. Kwame Dixon is a tenured Associate Professor of Political Science at Howard University in Washington, DC. His research focuses on Afro-Democracy, Afro-Civil Society, and Racialization and Human Rights in Latin America and the Caribbean. He has published three books on Latin America and the Caribbean, Comparative Perspectives on Afro-Latin America (2012), Afro Politics and Civil Society in Salvador da Bahia (2016) and Comparative Racial Politics in Latin America (2019).

July 7, 6 pm Hörsaal 5 (UHG)

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium presented by CIAS, Focus Area SHIFT, ASTA Uni Bielefeld.

Dr. Kwame Dixon (Howard University): The United States at 250: Hemispheric Perspectives on the Current Contestations of Democracy and Human Rights.

Conversatorio y Lectura "Mi lengua no está por allá: Una explosión literaria latinoamericana en Alemania."

2026-07-02T09:27:42+02:00

La impronta cultural latinoamericana en Alemania es cada vez más notable. Solamente en Berlín, el surgimiento de iniciativas como la librería Andenbuch, el ciclo de lecturas Probador de Poesías y el festival literario Barrio (Bairro) Berlín dejan en claro que hoy en día la literatura latinoamericana no es algo que se debe mirar solo a la distancia, sino que está también está sucediendo en Europa.

L-s invitamos a escuchar el conversatorio entre la poeta venezolana y organizadora de Probador de Poesías Regina Riveros y el poeta colombiano y co-curador de Barrio Berlín Daniel Sarmiento en torno a la nueva escena literaria latinoamericana en Berlín. Además de intercambiar experiencias e impresiones en torno a este tema, el evento termina con la lectura de algunos textos selectos producto de este nuevo canon diaspórico.

Daniel Sarmiento Osorio

Poeta y co-curador barrio (bairro) Berlín

Regina Riveros

Poeta y organizadora de probador de poesías

Viernes, 3 de julio 2026 14:00-16:00 V7-155

Coloquio de Estudios InterAmericanos: Ulises Zarazua sobre las narrativas indígenas y coloniales del Lago de Chapala (30.06.2026)

2026-06-29T17:58:22+02:00

El Center for InterAmerican Studies (CIAS) tiene el placer de invitarles a una nueva sesión del Coloquio de Estudios InterAmericanos 2026.

El próximo 30 de junio de 2026, Ulises Zarazua (Universidad de Guadalajara) presentará la conferencia «El agua divinizada. Narrativas indígenas y coloniales sobre el Lago de Chapala, México».

La conferencia explora las distintas formas en que las tradiciones indígenas y coloniales han concebido y representado el Lago de Chapala, el lago más grande de México. Al poner en diálogo estas narrativas, la ponencia ofrece nuevas perspectivas sobre el agua como espacio cultural, espiritual y político, subrayando su importancia para la historia ambiental, los saberes indígenas y los procesos coloniales.

El coloquio constituye un espacio de intercambio interdisciplinario sobre las Américas y está abierto a estudiantes, investigadoras e investigadores, así como al público interesado.

Fecha: Martes, 30 de junio de 2026

Hora: 18:00–20:00 h

Lugar: Universidad de Bielefeld, Edificio X, Sala X-E0-226

Les invitamos cordialmente a participar en esta sesión y en el diálogo posterior.

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium with MA thesis projects (23. June 2026)

2026-06-18T10:13:26+02:00

The MA program for InterAmerican Studies (IAS) at Bielefeld University invites students, researchers, and members of the public to an interdisciplinary colloquium featuring presentations by MA students working on thesis projects that span development studies, history, literature, gender, and international politics. The event on Tuesday, 23 June 2026 (18-20hrs at E0-226 in X-Building, Bielefeld University) provides a platform for discussing current research projects and fostering dialogue across disciplines and regional contexts.

Esther Immel will present her study, "Exploring Possibilities for Decolonial Practice within Existing Development Frameworks: A Qualitative Study in Bolivia". Drawing on qualitative research conducted in Bolivia, her work examines the opportunities and limitations of pursuing decolonial approaches within established development structures. Esther Immel holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Communication and Translation and works as a student research assistant in the EU-funded project Peace and Mobilities at Bielefeld University. She also works as a freelance interpreter for the German Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF), supporting asylum procedures.

Francisco Sánchez will present in Spanish "Cuerpo y entorno en la travesía al Reyno de Chile: una aproximación microhistórica desde la teoría humoral." His research explores historical understandings of the body and environment through a microhistorical perspective informed by humoral theory. Francisco Sánchez holds a degree in Film Studies from the University of Valparaíso, specializing in screenwriting and experimental documentary.

Rafael García Roncalla will discuss in Spanish "Hombres desdibujados: masculinidades subordinadas y criminalidad juvenil en Ciudad de payasos (2011) y Transformar números en barcos piratas (2016)". His presentation examines representations of subordinated masculinities and juvenile criminality in contemporary Peruvian graphic narratives. A graduate student at Bielefeld University, García Roncalla holds a degree in Hispanic Literature from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. His research focuses on Latin American popular culture, particularly the representation of masculinity in graphic novels and comics.

Sezer Yasar will present "Path Dependence in U.S. Military Strategy: Historical Roots of Contemporary Escalation Dynamics in the Middle East". His research investigates how historical structures and long-term institutional developments shape contemporary military decision-making. Focusing on U.S. interventions involving Iran, he examines the interplay of democratic self-understandings, global military presence, and economic interests in producing path dependencies that continue to influence current escalation dynamics. Through this work, he seeks to contribute to a deeper understanding of how historical legacies shape contemporary forms of global power and conflict.

The colloquium highlights the diversity of MA thesis research being conducted by emerging scholars and offers an opportunity to engage with innovative perspectives on some of the most pressing social, political, and cultural questions of our time.

International Workshop: Undoing Militarized Narconarratives (from 22 to 24 June 2026)

2026-06-18T09:59:47+02:00

From 22 to 24 June 2026, the Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF) at Bielefeld University will host the international workshop "Undoing Militarized Narconarratives: Outlines of the Popular in Illegalized Markets".

Bringing together leading scholars and practitioners from Latin America, Europe, and North America, the workshop explores how dominant narratives about drugs, violence, and security shape contemporary forms of governance and social inequality. The event takes place within the framework of the Long-Term Research Group Dimensions of Regulation: Conceptualizing the Popular in the Drugs/Violence Nexus. Participants will critically examine how prohibitionist policies and militarized approaches to drug control influence everyday life, public discourse, and political institutions. Moving beyond conventional “war on drugs” perspectives, the workshop seeks to develop new ways of understanding popular economies, informal markets, and the social realities surrounding illegalized activities.

The program features contributions from internationally recognized researchers, including Rita Laura Segato, Seth Harp, Luci Cavallero, Luca Trenta, Teresa Jobson, David Barrios, Mary Ryder, and Luis Córdova. Through interdisciplinary dialogue, the workshop will address questions of violence, regulation, security, social justice, and the production of knowledge about illicit economies. By bringing together perspectives from anthropology, sociology, political science, history, cultural studies, and journalism, the workshop aims to foster critical debate on the relationship between drugs, violence, and democracy in contemporary societies.

It offers a unique opportunity for scholars, students, and interested members of the public to engage with current international research on one of the most pressing political and social issues of our time.

Conveners: Philipp Wolfesberger (Bielefeld), Estefanía Ciro Rodriguez (Caquetá, Colombia), Alke Jenss (Freiburg), Oswaldo Zavala (New York)

Date: 22–24 June 2026

Venue: Center for Interdisciplinary Research (ZiF), Bielefeld University

Book Presentation with Rita Laura Segato at Bielefeld University (24 June 2026)

2026-06-18T09:49:59+02:00

On 24 June 2026, CIAS and IZG will host a special book presentation featuring renowned anthropologist and feminist thinker Rita Laura Segato at Bielefeld University.

The event celebrates the publication of the German translation of her influential work Die elementaren Strukturen der Gewalt (The Elementary Structures of Violence), a groundbreaking analysis of gender relations, violence, human rights, and power from the perspectives of anthropology and psychoanalysis.

Segato’s work has had a profound impact on contemporary debates about gender-based violence, coloniality, and social justice across Latin America and beyond. During the event, she will discuss the central arguments of the book together with the translators, offering insights into the intellectual and political contexts that shaped this important publication. The presentation will be followed by a conversation with the audience.

A commentary will be provided by Heidemarie Winkel (Bielefeld University), and the discussion will be moderated by Ana Miranda Mora (Utrecht University), one of the translators of the volume. The event will be held in English and is organized in cooperation with the Focus Area Contestations of Gender and Democracy.

Date: 24 June 2026 Time: 6:30–8:00 p.m.

Venue: Bielefeld University, Room X EO-001

The event is in English and open to students, researchers, and members of the public interested in gender studies, anthropology, human rights, Latin American studies, and contemporary social theory. We warmly invite all interested participants to join this discussion and engage with one of the most influential voices in critical feminist thought today.

Bielefeld-Premiere von „La Raya“ mit Regisseurin Yolanda Cruz zu Gast (19. Juni 2026)

2026-06-18T09:38:53+02:00

Am 19. Juni 2026 feiert der mexikanische Spielfilm *La Raya* seine Bielefeld-Premiere im Offkino.

Die Regisseurin Yolanda Cruz, die bereits mit Filmen wie *2501 Migrants* und *Hope, Soledad* international Aufmerksamkeit erlangte, wird persönlich anwesend sein und nach der Vorführung für ein Gespräch mit dem Publikum zur Verfügung stehen. *La Raya* erzählt eine bewegende Geschichte über Identität, Zugehörigkeit und die Erfahrungen von Menschen, die zwischen verschiedenen kulturellen Welten leben. Der Film wurde 2024 in Mexiko produziert und verbindet eindrucksvolle Bilder mit einer sensiblen Auseinandersetzung mit Migration, Familie und Gemeinschaft. Die Vorführung findet in der Originalfassung auf Spanisch und Chatino mit englischen und spanischen Untertiteln statt. Sie bietet die seltene Gelegenheit, einen aktuellen Film des mexikanischen Kinos kennenzulernen und zugleich mit der Filmemacherin über Entstehungsprozess, Hintergründe und die im Film behandelten Themen ins Gespräch zu kommen.

Termin: Freitag, 19. Juni 2026, 20:30 Uhr

Ort: Offkino im Filmhaus, August-Bebel-Straße 94, Bielefeld

Die Veranstaltung richtet sich an alle Interessierten aus Universität und Stadtgesellschaft, insbesondere an Studierende und Forschende mit Interesse an Film, Kultur, Migration und transnationalen Perspektiven. Wir freuen uns auf einen inspirierenden Kinoabend und den Austausch mit Yolanda Cruz.

Canceled!! Luisa Raquel Ellermeier presents at InterAmerican Studies Colloquium (16 June 2026)

2026-06-16T08:11:02+02:00

Due to a family emergency, today's presentation has been canceled!!

The Center for InterAmerican Studies is pleased to invite you to the next session of the InterAmerican Studies Colloquium. Luisa Raquel Ellermeier (Bielefeld University) will present: Alterity on the Road: Human and Nonhuman Others in Inter-American Road Movies.

This talk examines mobility, space, and relationality across the Americas, and offers new perspectives on the cultural and political dimensions of the road movie genre.

📅 16 June 2026 🕕 18:00–20:00 📍 Room X-E0-226, Bielefeld University

We warmly welcome students, colleagues, and all those interested in Inter-American Studies, film and media studies, cultural studies, and interdisciplinary research. For further information, please see CIAS.

III. Encuentro de hispanistas en Renania del Norte-Westfalia: "Entrelazamientos" (15 al 16 de junio de 2026)

2026-06-13T12:54:21+02:00

III. Encuentro de hispanistas en Renania del Norte-Westfalia: "Entrelazamientos"

El encuentro de hispanistas se celebrará del 15 al 16 de junio de 2026 en la Universidad de Bielefeld en el edificio X, sala: X-E0-001 (lunes); X-E1-201 (martes).

Organización: Nelson Camilo Forero Medina, Désirée Kleineberg, Lina Wilhelms

Contacto:

forero_medina@uni-bielefeld.de

desiree.kleineberg@uni-bielefeld.de

Programa aquí.

Charla con Dr. Mario Soto "Medios, educación y revitalización del quechua" (17.06.2026)

2026-06-11T14:16:44+02:00

Dr. Mario Soto Rodríguez (Universität Freiburg) presenta "Medios, educación y revitalización del quechua: entre diglosia cultural y rescate lingüístico".

Miércoles, 17 junio 2026, 10:15 – 11:45, Edifico X X-E1-200.

Buscamos propiciar una discusión sobre la preferencia por prácticas comunicativas de un modelo discursivo que promueve patrones discursivos occidentales de la lengua y cultura dominante, frente a una tarea de revitalización que debería integrar y visibilizar perspectivas filosóficas y culturales andinas.

Organiza: Prof. Dr. Miguel Gutiérrez Maté

Jornada Híbrida: El terror en Latinoamérica. La colonialidad del género del miedo a revisión (11.06.26)

2026-06-10T18:17:27+02:00

Invitamos a toda la comunidad académica a participar en esta jornada sobre las narrativas del terror en América Latina, tanto a nivel literario como cinematográfico y de otros medios.

L-s ponentes discutirán las estrategias narrativas, revisiones del género, concepciones del terror, la (ir)realidad del terror, replanteamientos y críticas de tradiciones coloniales del género.

Jornada Híbrida:

El terror en Latinoamérica: La colonialidad del género del miedo a revisión.

11.06.26 | B2-212, Universidad de Bielefeld | 14:00 -20:30 y en Zoom: Meeting-ID: 666 1000 3677; Passwort: 044632

Organización: Prof. Dr. Joachim Michael

Más información y programa

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium with María Herrera Cárdenas (9.6.2026)

2026-06-04T11:08:33+02:00

We are pleased to invite you to the next session of the InterAmerican Studies Colloquium with Dr. María Herrera Cárdenas (Bielefeld University). Her talk "Affective Distress and the Politics of Legibility: Gender, Medicalization, and Care in Europe and Mexico" explores the intersections of gender, medicalization, care, and affective distress across European and Mexican contexts, offering critical insights into contemporary debates in feminist, literary, and medical humanities research.

📅 9 June 2026

🕕 18:00–20:00

📍 Room X-E0-226

Dr. María Herrera Cardenas is a Postdoctoral Researcher at Bielefeld University, specializing in Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG). Her research contributes to developing gendered medical violence as an analytical category to examine how institutional medical practices produce harm and how contemporary literature generates forms of epistemic repair and feminist counter-knowledge.

Information about the colloquium here.

Applications are now open for the MA InterAmerican Studies / Estudios InterAmericanos for the Winter Semester 2026/2027!

2026-05-29T21:29:03+02:00

📣 Applications are now open for the MA InterAmerican Studies / Estudios InterAmericanos for the Winter Semester 2026/2027!

📅 Application period: June 1 – July 15, 2026

🌎 Join an interdisciplinary and international program exploring the cultures, histories, literatures, and societies of the Americas from an inter-American perspective.

📝 Apply now via the link in here: https://campus.uni-bielefeld.de/qisserver/pages/cs/sys/portal/hisinoneStartPage.faces

More information on the program here

Musical Exhibition: Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn (1805–1847) - 21 May 2026, ZiF

2026-05-15T15:57:56+02:00

As part of the UNAM Alemania Cultural and Artistic Project 2026, an exceptional evening dedicated to the composer Fanny Hensel-Mendelssohn will take place on 21 May 2026 from 19:00 to 21:00. The concert combines live piano performance with video projection and offers audiences a unique encounter with the artistic legacy of one of the most remarkable yet historically overlooked composers of the 19th century.

The internationally renowned Mexican concert pianist Monique Rasetti will present a carefully researched and historically informed interpretation of Hensel-Mendelssohn’s works. Drawing on archival studies and her experience with period instruments, Rasetti seeks to recover and disseminate part of the composer’s pianistic legacy while creating connections between music, poetry, and visual arts. The project also reflects on the historical marginalization of women composers and highlights the importance of integrating Hensel-Mendelssohn’s work into contemporary academic and artistic discourse.

The event will feature contributions by:

Monique Rasetti

Yolanda I Chirino

Wilfried Raussert

The concert is organized in collaboration with ZiF, UNAM-Alemania, CIAS, CALAS, and the Bielefeld University of Applied Sciences and Arts.

Participation is free of charge.

Date: 21 May 2026 Time: 19:00–21:00

For registration and further information.

IAS Kolloquium mit AStA und CALAS "Mapuche-Bewegung in Konflikten" (19.5.2026)

2026-05-11T19:42:59+02:00

Das IAS-Kolloquium in Kooperation mit dem Referat für Internationales der AStA Uni Bielefeld und CALAS veranstalten gemeinsam einen Vortrag mit anschließender Diskussion.

"Mapuche-Bewegung in Konflikten: Herausforderungen, Konflikte und Vorschläge nach dem chilenischen Verfassungsprozess"

Dienstag 19. Mai 2026 von 18 bis 20 Uhr in Raum S1-209, Hauptgebäude.

Vortragende: Olaf Kaltmeier (Universität Bielefeld) Fernando Pairican (CIIR Universidad Católica Chile).

Spanische Information auf www.uni-bielefeld.de/cias/veranstaltungen

ENAC Film Showcase 2026 (IAS Colloquium 5 May 2026)

2026-04-30T12:41:44+02:00

Im Rahmen der Kooperation zwischen UNAM-Alemania, dem CIAS, HIAS Bielefeld, und dem Kolloquium für InterAmerikanische Studien werden ausgewählte Kurzfilme der ENAC (UNAM) Produktion 2025 präsentiert und kommentiert. Für das Ereignis sind Vertreter*innen der UNAM und Kommentator*innen seitens der Universität Bielefeld vor Ort.

18:15-20:00 Raum X-E0-226, Gebäude X

PANELISTS: Luisa Raquel Ellermeier MA, Prof. Dr. Wilfried Raussert, Benjamín Romero MA

MODERATION: Dr. Yolanda Irasema Chirino López

Im Anschluss erfolgte eine Rezeption mit Umtrunk in der BGHS Lounge. Studierende und Dozent*innen sind in beiden Events herzlich willkommen.

InterAmerican Studies Colloqium with Prof. Maria Fernanda Lopez Sandoval (FLACSO Quito), 14 April 2026

2026-04-09T10:29:17+02:00

The IAS Colloquium for this semester will kick off next Tuesday, April 14, 2026 (6–8 p.m.), with a lecture by our visiting scholar from Ecuador, Prof. Dr. Maria Fernanda Lopez Sandoval (FLACSO Quito) titled:

“Rethinking the Anthropocene as an Analytical Framework to Understand Land Use Change and Human-Driven Frontiers in the Tropical Andean Páramo.”

The event will take place in cooperation with the Colloquium on Global and Entangled History in Room X E0-226 in the X Building.

For more details please visit CIAS.

Ausschreibung: Erasmus+ Mobilitäten nach Costa Rica für Doktorand*innen der UniBi (OUTGOING)

2026-04-08T08:14:18+02:00

Im Rahmen des Erasmus+ Programms mit der Universität von Costa Rica sind Mobilitäten für Doktorand*innen der Universität Bielefeld aus den Bereichen Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften ausgeschrieben.

Teilnehmende Hochschuleinrichtungen: Universidad de Costa Rica
Links: https://filologia.ucr.ac.cr/ ; https://escuelahistoria.fcs.ucr.ac.cr/
Frei Plätze: 2-3 Mobilitäten im Jahr 2026

Bewerbungsfrist: Freitag 15. Mai 2026, um 23:59 Uhr (CET)

Zeitraum des Programms: Der Aufenthalt an der UCR mit einer Dauer von max. drei Monaten ist im Wintersemester 2026/27 zu absolvieren und ab dem 1. September.

Bewerbungsunterlagen: Motivationsschreiben, Einschreibungsbestätigung in einem Promotionsstudiengang der Universität Bielefeld, Zeugnisse vorheriger Abschlüsse, Lebenslauf, Nachweis über Sprachkenntnisse.

Die Bewerbungsunterlagen sind in einer PDF-Datei an die folgende Adresse zu senden: erasmus.costarica@uni-bielefeld.de

Für Fragen, zusätzliche Informationen und/oder Unterstützung: erasmus.costarica@uni-bielefeld.de

Convocatoria Jornada Híbrida: "El Terror en Latinoamérica: La colonialidad del género del miedo a revisión" (30.4.2026)

2026-04-02T10:26:04+02:00

Jornada híbrida, Universidad de Bielefeld, 10.06.2026.

Se invita a las personas interesadas a debatir las narrativas de terror contemporáneas de América Latina, tanto a nivel literario como cinematográfico (y a nivel de otros medios). Las cuestiones a discutir abarcan estrategias narrativas, revisiones del género, concepciones del terror, la (ir)realidad del terror, replanteamientos y críticas de tradiciones coloniales del género, entre otros.

Plazo para el envío de propuestas: 30.04.2026

Organización: Prof. Dr. Joachim Michael

Información y envío de propuestas: joachim.michael@uni-bielefeld.de

Más información:

Jornada-Terror_convocatoria_300326.pdf

Info-Abend: Trump-Intervention und aktuelle Lage in Lateinamerika (07.03.2026)

2026-03-05T18:26:20+01:00

Am 7. März 2026 (19:00 Uhr) findet in der Lydia-Gemeinde ein Info-Abend mit dem Titel:

"Trump-Intervention und aktuelle Lage in Lateinamerika"

statt. Die Referent*innen Olaf Kaltmeier, Omar Sierra Cháves, Alexandra Castañeda Obando, Josué García Veiga (alle Universität Bielefeld) analysieren die aktuelle Lage in Mexiko, Venezuela, Kuba und Kolumbien. Die Veranstaltung wird mit Empanadas und Wein begleitet und der Erlös geht an humanitäre Hilfe auf Kuba.

Ort: Lydia-Gemeinde, Johanniskirchpl. 1, 33615 Bielefeld

Short term exchange research fellowships between Universities Bielefeld and Guadalajara 2026

2026-02-16T18:43:07+01:00

The Maria Sibylla Merian Center for Advanced Latin American Studies (CALAS), headquarters Guadalajara and CALAS/CIAS Bielefeld University are accepting applications for up to four short-term fellowships for qualified researchers in the following program areas:

• Two scholarships for academics affiliated with Bielefeld University for stays at the CALAS headquarters in Guadalajara, Mexico.

• Two scholarships for academics from the University of Guadalajara for stays at the CALAS/CIAS headquarters at Bielefeld University.

• Alternatively, tandems consisting of one academic from the University of Guadalajara and one academic from Bielefeld University may also apply.

Deadline for applications: March 30, 2026

Please see here for details and the application process:

English

Español

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium with Johannes Völz on 20.1.2026

2026-01-19T11:04:00+01:00

We cordially invite to the next talk of our IAS colloquium series on Tuesday, 20th of January 2026 (6–8 pm, Room X-E0-226). Johannes Völz (Goethe-Universität Frankfurt) will give a lecture titled:

“Trump and the Populist Space of Appearance: On the Rally as Political Form”

This presentation examines the political rally as a key aesthetic and performative form of contemporary populism. Focusing on Donald Trump, Johannes Völz analyzes how rallies create a “space of appearance” in which populist politics becomes visible, affective, and collective. The talk situates the rally within broader debates on democratic representation, political aesthetics, and the cultural forms through which populism mobilizes publics.

Johannes Völz is Professor of American Studies at Goethe-Universität Frankfurt. He is the spokesperson of the DFG Research Training Group “Aesthetics of Democracy” (GRK 3113) and co-directs the research focus “Democratic Vistas: Reflections on the Atlantic World” at the Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften in Frankfurt. He is the author of Poetics of Insecurity: American Fiction and the Uses of Threat (Cambridge University Press, 2018) and is currently working on a book project on the aesthetics of populism.

Roundtable Discussion: U.S. Imperialism Reloaded: Latin American Reflections (20 Jan 2026)

2026-01-19T10:46:22+01:00

On 20 January, AStA Bielefeld in cooperation with CIAS and CALAS invites to a Roundtable Discussion: U.S. Imperialism Reloaded: Latin American Reflections

with

OLAF KALTMEIER (Bielefeld University)

OMAR SIERRA CHÁVES (Bielefeld University, VENEZUELA)

ALEXANDRA CASTAÑEDA OBANDO (Bielefeld University, COLOMBIA)

JOSUÉ GARCÍA VEIGA (Bielefeld University, MEXICO)

The attack against Venezuela has greater geopolitical implications. We face the rupture of a multilateral world-order and the reinvention of imperial conducts and narratives. In inter-American relations these have a long history going back to the Monroe-Doctrine. In this round-table we offer a unique interpretation from different Latin American perspectives.

16:00-17:30, in H5 (Main Building), Open to the public.

Research Position / PhD Researcher (m/f/d) - On work-family policies in Mexico and Germany

2025-12-16T11:43:55+01:00

The Project A06 “Work-family Policies: Socioeconomic Outcomes and Policy Learning" (Prof. Sonja Blum, Faculty of Sociology) is seeking to appoint a PhD Researcher at Bielefeld University.

The project will investigate (1) how family policies affect the socioeconomic outcomes of women and children; and (2) under what conditions and through which mechanisms policy actors utilize information on these outcomes, leading to policy learning. In this context, the successful candidate is expected to make a substantial contribution on the second question, particularly by conducting qualitative case studies of Mexico and Germany, alongside an active engagement in the project’s overall research agenda.

Application deadline: 12.01.2026

Please finde more information and the online application here.

InterAmerican Studies Colloquium with Astrid Haas (16 December)

2025-12-15T15:30:15+01:00

We cordially invite you to the next talk of our IAS-colloquium series. On Tuesday, 16 December (6 pm c.t., Room X E0-226), Astrid Haas from the University of Bergen speaks about:

Drawing Resistance in the Borderlands: Fighting Trumpsim and Transborder Violence in/with the Peso Hero Comic Series.

The lecture analyzes how the Mexican American comic series El Peso Hero uses the genre of the superhero comic to offer a political critique of the border politics of the two Trump presidencies targeting Latin American immigrants. It also discusses how Latine comics like the Peso Hero series can offer cultural resistance to the growing violence of both law enforcement officers and criminal cartels affecting residents and migrants in the US-Mexico border region.

Astrid Haas is an Associate Professor in American Literature and Culture at the University of Bergen. Her research interests include, a.o., Transnational North American Studies, Border Studies, and the Black and Latinx Diasporas. Her most recent book is titled Lone Star Vistas: Travel Writing on Texas, 1821-1861 (2021). She currently works on two larger projects, “Black Inter-American Mobility and Autobiography in the Age of Revolutions, 1760-1860” and “LatineGraphy: Latine Pasts, Presents, and Futures in US Latine and Latin American Graphic Narratives.”