What’s Going On?

The Research Unit on Voluntariness is more than just our team. We are part of a growing international community of scholars who share an interest in the concept of voluntariness. We invite fellow researchers to join the discussion, not just in writing but also in person. Over the next few years we are planning workshops and lecture series, and we will let you know what’s happening around voluntariness and our research unit.

Stay tuned and we’ll keep you posted about news, events, and guests as well as all sorts of sidelines! Connect with us via our social media sites on Facebook and Instagram so you don’t miss anything!

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News & Sidelines

We Welcome Mitchell Dean as Mercator Fellow 2023!

In summer 2023, we welcome Professor Mitchell Dean as Mercator Fellow of the Research Unit on Voluntariness. The political sociologist will support the projects of the research unit from April to July 2023 as a renowned expert in the field of governmentality studies.

Voluntariness as Political Practice – Work in Progress and Upcoming Talks

In order to explore how voluntariness functions as a resource for political participation and civic recognition in the US, our subproject in North American History provides a critical reexamination of the yellow fever outbreaks between 1793 and 1820 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and highlights first results.

Voluntariness in Recent and Global History – Upcoming Talk

The current work in progress of our historical subprojects explores voluntariness in local historical contexts, in negotiations surrounding migration, in postcolonial settings as well as in different time periods or world regions. In the upcoming summer term, team members will discuss their crucial questions with experts from the respective fields of research.

Voluntariness in Medieval History – Workshop and Talks

On April 20, 2023, our subproject in Medieval History, „Martyrdom and Voluntariness,” welcomes historians Sara M. Butler (Ohio State University) and Steffen Hope (University of Oslo) to Erfurt for a workshop entitled “Dying voluntarily in the Middle Ages”. Together, we will explore various forms of voluntary death and their medieval discour

Scholarship “Voluntariness” – Welcome, Mara Albrecht!

Since December 2022, Mara Albrecht is holding our “Initialization Sholarship Voluntariness”.  For at least one year Mara will be part of our team and will be developing a new project on the global history of voluntariness.

Voluntariness On Tour – Our Project on Martyrdom in Berlin

On Saturday, November 19, 2022, Markus from the subproject “Martyrdom and Voluntariness” presents aspects of his PhD-project at the conference “Verzicht. Mediävistische Perspektiven” in Berlin and will reflect on dying voluntarily and renunciation.

Voluntariness On Tour – What Was it Like to Be a “Neuerer”?

On Friday, September 30, 2022, Elena and Christiane from the subproject “Voluntariness and Dictatorship” invite former “Neuerer” in the GDR to talk about their personal experiences. We are hosting an event called “Bürgerforum” and looking forward meeting you in Eisenach!

Poster "Woche des Neuerers/Planmäßig Rationalisieren"

Voluntariness On Tour – Our Project on the “Neuererwesen” in Jena

On Wednesday, July 6, 2022, Elena from the subproject “Voluntariness and Dictatorship” is invited to give a talk at the Historical Institute at Jena University. We are looking forward to her presentation and to hear about some new aspects of her fascinating research!

Voluntariness On The Road – June 21 & 22

In June 2022, the subproject “Voluntariness as Political Practice” welcomes distinguished American scholars in Erfurt and beyond. Deirdre Cooper Owens (University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Van Gosse (Franklin & Marshall College), guests of next week’s workshop, will visit also Freiburg, Heidelberg and Bonn.

Voluntariness Up For Debate – Lecture and Workshop with Sandrine Kott

On June 20, 2022, our teams of the subprojects “Voluntariness and Decolonization” and “Voluntariness and Dictatorship” – Carolyn, Iris, Elena and Christiane – welcome Swiss historian Sandrine Kott (University of Geneva) for a workshop and evening lecture at the Forschungskolleg Transkulturelle Studien in Gotha.

Please Note! – Lecture by Maud Simonet ONLINE

On Wednesday, May 18 2022, we invite you to our fourth talk of the lecture series “The Politics of Voluntariness”. The talk by Maud Simonet from the University of Paris Nanterre, however, will take place digitally only!

Voluntariness Up For Debate – Workshop Dis-Cover Fellow Citizens

In June 2022, our team of the subproject “Voluntariness as Political Practice” will discuss key issues of their research field at the workshop „Dis-Cover Fellow Citizens: Voluntary Civic Engagement in the Early Republic and Antebellum America“. Find more info here…

The Politics of Voluntariness – Our Lecture Series

Our interdisciplinary lecture series, which we organize together with the Department of History at the University of Erfurt, is dedicated to the broad research field of voluntariness. We have put together an exciting program for the 2022 summer term, themed “The Politics of Voluntariness.”

Voluntariness and Friends – Our Mercator-Fellow

For spring 2022, we welcome Professor Alexandra Oeser as Mercator-Fellow to the Research Unit on Voluntariness! As a sociologist trained in Germany and France, Alexandra currently works and teaches at the University of Paris Nanterre and will visit Erfurt from March to August 2022.

Voluntariness on Air: Our Research on Deutschlandfunk

On February 17, 2022, the German radio station Deutschlandfunk will focus on the topic of voluntariness. Members of our group have the opportunity to talk about our project in the program “Aus Kultur- und Sozialwissenschaften”. Tune in on Thursday at 8:10 pm!

Voluntariness on Tour: Talk at the “Fuldaer Abende”

On January 18, 2022, Elena M. E. Kiesel and Christiane Kuller, project investigators of our sub-project on voluntariness and dictatorship, will be participating at the “Fuldaer Abende” and explore voluntary participation within the ‘Neuererwesen’ of the GDR.

Preview 2022 – We’re in Phase 2!

Time has come – our Research Unit is entering phase 2 and the upcoming year is themed “transdisciplinarity”! In workshops and guest lectures we will broaden our perspectives on voluntariness.

Event Up-Date: Workshop on Volunteering

On January 17, 2022, members of our group will participate at a digital workshop in Jena. A discussion of current challenges in volunteering will bring together a diverse range of experts – from the fields of practice and theory.

Events