ICA (Intercontinental Academy) "Pluralities of Resonant Relationships"

The Max-Weber-Kolleg of the University of Erfurt and Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG) are part of a network of IASs across the world - UBIAS. One of the most successful initiatives developed between the members of this group is the Intercontinental Academia (ICA) where ‘scientific exchange’ between generations, disciplines, cultures and continents takes place around a topic or theme.

The ICA seeks to create a global network of future research leaders by constructing an arena in which the very best early/mid-career scholars will work together on paradigm-shifting cross-disciplinary research, mentored by eminent researchers from across the globe. A key aspect is deriving the full benefit of the intercontinental origins of the endeavor and diversity of thought and culture. This immersive and intense experience is expected to transform the scholar's own approach to research, enhance their awareness of the work, relevance and potential impact of other disciplines, and to inspire and facilitate new collaborations between distant disciplines; our aim is to make a real, yet volatile, intellectual cocktail that leads to meaningful outputs.

The structure
The academia is based around two intensive workshops held on different continents which provide space for learning about the inward perspective of each "subject", performing a comparative analysis of the panorama and searching for correlations among these different views and perspectives. The scholars are guided during these workshops by an array of mentors who are themselves some of the most outstanding disciplinary and interdisciplinary researchers of our time.

Within the programme, the scholars will have the space to help to define the precise workshop structure and the outputs from the project (example: a book is envisaged).

The theme
This academy will focus on the concept of "Pluralities of Resonant Relationships," building upon the sociological theory of relationships to our world of Hartmut Rosa, one of the most influential social theorists of our time. The program aims to analyze and understand from the perspective of different disciplines how subjects create meaningful and resonant relationships with other individuals, societies, objects, and overarching concepts—both in theoretical terms and in practical, real-world case-studies.

Vision and Goals: The proposed academy will serve as a vibrant hub for postdoctoral researchers from a variety of disciplines, including social sciences and humanities, but also arts and natural sciences, if possible. Its main goals are to:

1. 1.Advance the Theory of Resonance: Engage in theoretical innovation by building on Hartmut Rosa's concept of resonance. Resonance, in this context, is about the ways people and societies respond to, connect with, and shape their world. The academy will explore how resonance can be pluralistically understood and applied across different disciplines and conceptual approaches, including arts and natural sciences.
2. Foster Interdisciplinary Dialogue: By bringing together scholars from diverse disciplines, the academy will foster interdisciplinary dialogue on how resonance can inform social theory, political philosophy, and other disciplines. This collaborative approach is necessary to address the complex, interconnected challenges facing pluralistic societies today, from climate change to global inequalities.
3. Engage with Global Perspectives: The academy will be explicitly international in its scope, drawing on the strengths of both the Institute of Advanced Transdisciplinary Studies at UFMG, with its focus on Latin American socio-political realities, and the Max-Weber-Kolleg in Erfurt, renowned for its commitment to critical theory and global engagement. Other cooperating partners like the Aarhus Institute for Advanced Study will bring in additional perspectives. Through these partnerships, the academy will engage with a range of global perspectives and investigate how different cultures and regions experience and engage with resonance in plural ways.
4. Develop Practical Applications: Beyond theoretical work, the academy will also explore the practical implications of resonance theory in fields such as sustainable development, social justice, pedagogy, music, etc. What can we learn with the theory of resonance for new settings and situations and social challenges of pluralistic modern societies? What role does resonance play in fostering social cohesion and combating fragmentation in societies?