Symposium
Symposium
Thinking Beyond “Crisis”:
Historical, artistic and media approaches to contemporary migration in Europe
A cooperation between Bard College Berlin,
the Centre for Contemporary History (Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam), the Hannah Arendt Center at Bard College, BOX Freiraum and ‘wir machen das’
Tuesday May 17, 2016, from 2 pm to 10 pm
Location: BOX Freiraum
This symposium combines historical, artistic and media approaches to contemporary migration in Europe and attempt to overcome the „crisis“- and „emergency“-imaginary that is dominating the discourse. It is also the launch event for a Scholarship Network that will support Bard College Berlin in giving safe haven to up to 20 refugee students.
SUMMARY
News reports commenting on the current refugee situation rotate around terms like ‘crisis’ and ‘emergency.’ Both words however isolate events within the present and are apt to block out more encompassing and creative approaches including drawing on the experiences and theories brought to us by refugees from earlier eras.
With Hannah Arendt as a central figure who speaks to us both as a refugee and on refugees, ‘Thinking Beyond Crisis’ will attempt to outline the closures of presentist ad-hoc responses and to meet Europe's new reality in a mode of exchange and mutual adjustment rather than through technocratic ‘problem solving.’
Renowned scholars, artists, journalists and young Afghan refugees will engage in panel discussions, a poetry reading and open Q&A to help us think and speak 'beyond' crisis.
SPEAKERS
Ewa Atanassow, Bard College Berlin
Roger Berkowitz, Hannah Arendt Center for Politics and Humanities, Bard College, Annandale
Kerry Bystrom, Bard College Berlin
Gerhard Casper, American Academy, Berlin
Jeffrey Champlin, Al-Quds Bard College for Arts & Sciences, East Jerusalem
Marion Detjen, Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam and ‘wir machen das’
Stephan Detjen, Deutschlandradio, Berlin
Ines Kappert, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, Berlin
Susanne Koelbl, DER SPIEGEL and poetry mentor at BOX Freiraum, Berlin
Carolina Mojto, BOX Freiraum, Berlin and ‘wir machen das’
Orwa Nyrabia, film producer and filmmaker, Berlin
Patrice Poutrus, Universität Wien
Annette Vowinckel, Zentrum für Zeithistorische Forschung Potsdam
Ulrich Wilhelm, Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich
Program
14:00-14:30: Welcome and introductory remarks
Carolina Mojto, BOX Freiraum & ‘wir machen das’
Kerry Bystrom, Bard College Berlin
Marion Detjen, ZZF & ‘wir machen das’
14:30-16:00: Panel One
Historical and Contemporary Migration in Eastern and Western Europe: Arendtian Perspectives
Patrice Poutrus, Universität Wien
Orwa Nyrabia, filmmaker & - producer
Jeffrey Champlin, Al-Quds Bard College
Moderator: Ewa Atanassow, Bard College Berlin
16:00-16:30: Coffee Break
16:30-18:00: Panel Two
Arendt on Refugees/Arendt as Refugee
Gerhard Casper, American Academy
Roger Berkowitz, Hannah Arendt Center
Annette Vowinckel, ZZF
Moderator: Kerry Bystrom, Bard College Berlin
18:00-18:15: Presentation of the Refugee Student Scholarship Network by Marion Detjen
18:15-19:00: Buffet break
19:00-19:30: Poetry reading
Ghani Atai, Abdul Baseer, Shazemir Hotaki, Mohamad Mashghdost, Yassir Niksada, Samiullah Rassouli.
With an Introduction of the poetry program at BOX Freiraum by Susanne Koelbl & Aarash D. Spanta
19:30-20:15: ‘Speaking Beyond Crisis Today’
Discussion on the crisis-discourse in the media
Ines Kappert, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung & ‘wir machen das’
Susanne Koelbl, DER SPIEGEL & BOX Freiraum
Aarash D. Spanta, lawyer, Berlin
Ulrich Wilhelm, Bayerischer Rundfunk
Moderator: Stephan Detjen, Deutschlandradio
20:15: Q & A, followed by a reception
