De-heimatize Belonging Konferenz

»Heimat« (homeland) is fashionable again: after the end of the grand narratives of the 20th century seeking refuge in a national enclave seems to be a vision of salvation. The gap is yet again re-filled with myths of national unity, traditional gender roles and »natural« hierarchies. The De-heimatize Belonging conference defines itself as the 4. Berliner Herbstsalon's discursive inter- vention and will take place from 25th–27th October 2019 at the Humboldt University of Berlin and the Maxim Gorki Theatre. On the basis of current debates about »Heimat« and identity, representatives of the Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research (BIM), Humboldt University Berlin and the Center for Intersectional Justice and their guests open up an intersectional perspective on the connections between colonialism, racism, sexism, capitalism and »Heimat«. Transcending Gender Studies, digital tech- nologies and activism, they trace the concept of De-heimatize Belonging, as formulated by Prof. Dr. Bilgin Ayata in the prologue of the conference. First, De-Heimatization in historical and contemporary perspectives will be elucidated (hosted by Prof. Dr. Bilgin Ayata). The panel discussion Algorithms of Belonging (hosted by Prof. Dr. Manuela Bojadžijev) investigates how digital technologies transform localisation and contribute to the formation of new forms of identity and belonging. Subsequently, Prof. Dr. Julia Roth, PD Dr. Gabriele Dietze and transformietheir guests analyse the connections between »Heimat«, right-wing populism and gender and discuss creative reconsignments for »Heimat«. So, Dr. Emilia Roig can pose the question: What does it mean in action? Prof. Dr. Gina Athena Ulysse and Michelle Higgins will conclude the conference with two lecture performances. They give a prospect how a spiritual-metaphysical consciousness can be considered as part of political action. How do we keep hope and resilience in activist contexts to gather us in new structures of planetary networking?
 

Detailed Program and Live Stream

With Prof. Dr. Bilgin Ayata, Prof. Dr. Manuela Bojadžijev, Prof. Dr. Ethel Brooks, Prof. Dr. Gabriele Dietze, Prof. Dr. Fatima El-Tayeb, Prof. Dr. Naika Foroutan, Prof. Dr. Olubukola Gbadegesin, Dipl. Pol. Damian Ghamlouche, Prof. Dr. Agnieszka Graff, Prof. Dr. Seda Gürses, Esra Karakaya, Donna Miranda, Prof. Dr. Winifred Poster, Dr. Emilia Roig, Prof. Dr. Julia Roth, Prof. Dr. Birgit Sauer, Prof. Dr. Nishant Shah, Prof. Dr. Robbie Shilliam and others.
 

Initiated by Shermin Langhoff, hosted by Bilgin Ayata University Basel, Naika Foroutan, Damian Ghamlouche and Manuela Bojadžijev Berlin Institute for Integration and Migration Research/ Humboldt University Berlin, Julia Roth University Bielefeld, Gabriele Dietze Humboldt University Berlin, Emilia Roig Center for Intersectional Justice, Rebecca Ajnwojner Maxim Gorki Theatre