Monday Lectures in Religious, Social and Cultural Studies, Programm WiSe 2026/27
Masterclass mit Prof. Dr. Claudia Jahnel: Dienstag 20.10.2026, 9.30-12 Uhr, Besprechungsraum Villa Martin / Mental Health between Contexts: Bethel’s Center Lutindi as crossroad of Diaconal Mission, Colonialism, Psychiatry and regional health concepts
The project examines the historical, intercultural dynamics of mental health care in Lutindi, Tanzania, operated by Bethel’s diaconal mission from 1896 onward. Employing archival research and oral history, the study explores the limitations and missed opportunities of early Western European efforts to incorporate and dialogue with local African healing traditions and knowledge systems. The analysis highlights the colonial imposition of biomedical and Christian-diaconal paradigms that often dismissed indigenous practices as superstition, while also but seldom revealing instances of respectful engagement. Lutindi emerges as a liminal space where contrasting notions of mental health, illness, and diaconal care – including theological concepts on health, illness and healing – intersect, often bypassing European colonial frameworks and fostering intra-Tanzanian negotiation processes. The paper wants to lead into a discussion on a post- and decolonial approach (not only) to mental health discourses and the question how to explore the plurality of regional knowledge systems and their historical entanglements with Western concepts. Als, the importance of participatory, transdisciplinary research will be highlighted – integrating oral histories and local voices.
Gäste sind willkommen, bitte kurze Anmeldung an glocal.religiosities@uni-erfurt.de
1. Internationale Konferenz God, Human, Machine: Images and Imaginaries of Religion in the Age of AI - 28.-30. September 2026
Die internationale Konferenz God, Human, Machine: Images and Imaginaries of Religion in the Age of AI untersucht kritisch, wie KI-Technologien religiöse Bilder und Vorstellungen neu gestalten und die symbolischen, affektiven und sensorischen Dimensionen des religiösen Lebens und der Praxis über Traditionen, Kulturen und soziale Kontexte hinweg einbeziehen.
Workshop „Narratives Between Worlds: Interdisciplinary Approaches“ 17. – 19. June 2026 in Erfurt
Location: Seminar room IBZ, Michaelisstr. 38, 99084 Erfurt
Throughout times, religions and cultures, narratives play a crucial role in establishing shared understandings, convictions and systems. It is a fundamental premise of the humanities that there are no religions and no cultures without narration. Beyond mere storytelling, narratives exert an immense performative power: they do not simply describe the world, they actively bring religious beliefs, social realities, moral boundaries, and societal identities into being. They provide the frameworks through which knowledge and facts are transmitted and interpreted, enabling societies to make sense of crises, legitimise transitions, and sustain a sense of continuity.
This workshop brings together participants and experts from different disciplines to explore and develop new approaches to the conceptualisation of narratives. It invites PhD candidates and early-career postdoctoral researchers to examine the role of narratives and narratology across fields such as Religious Studies, Theology, and Cultural Studies. By bridging different “worlds” — disciplinary, temporal, and conceptual — the workshop seeks to illuminate how communities construct meaning, negotiate identity, and articulate belief.
We kindly ask you to register in advance using the email address listed below.
glocal.religiosities@uni-erfurt.de
Download the programme here
4. Deutscher Südasientag Universität Erfurt (26.–27. Juni 2026)
Das Seminar für Religionswissenschaft und das Max-Weber-Kolleg der Universität Erfurt freuen sich, am 26. und 27. Juni 2026 den vierten deutschen Südasientag auszurichten. Herzlich willkommen sind Wissenschaftler:innen aller Karrierestufen aus den Geistes-und Sozialwissenschaften, die sich vorzugsweise mit Forschungsthemen des neuzeitlichen und gegenwärtigen Südasiens befassen.
Adresse: Forschungsbau „Weltbeziehungen“, Max-Weber-Allee 5, 99089 Erfurt
Konferenzbeitrag: €25 / €15 reduziert (mit gültigem Nachweis der Immatrikulation).
Registration: Bitte melden Sie sich bis zum 5. Juni 2026 via suedasientag@uni-erfurt.de an, unter Angabe Ihrer vollständigen Postanschrift und unter Beifügung des Nachweises der Berechtigung für die ermäßigte Gebühr, falls zutreffend.
Die Rechnung wird nach der Registrierung ausgestellt. Die Zahlung und der Zahlungsnachweis müssen bis zum 20. Juni 2026 eingereicht werden.
Weiter Infos/Programm unter:
