Event programme for the 2025/2026 winter semester
The Käte Hamburger Kolleg's event programme for the 2025/2026 winter semester has been published. In addition to the ceremonial opening of the Kolleg's second funding phase, numerous ‘Tea Time Talks’ and interdisciplinary discussions are planned as part of two conceptual forums.
On 13 October 2025, the Kolleg will celebrate the start of the new funding phase. Following a successful first term, the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space (BMFTR) is funding the Kolleg and its fellowship programme for a further four years. We are taking this opportunity to come together in a festive setting under the motto ‘Starting the second round’. The keynote speech, entitled ‘Anti-Universalismus: Das NS-Völkerrecht als Herausforderung für die Rechtseinheit der internationalen Ordnung’, will be given by the Viennese legal historian Miloš Vec (Vienna).
On 28 October 2025, a conceptual forum on the topic of ‘intersectionality’ organised by early modern historian Matthias Bähr (Dresden) will take place. The focus will be on the interactions between social distinguishing features such as gender, age, colour of skin, or religion. The aim is to explore the extent to which the concept of intersectionality provides new insights into the historical dynamics of law and diversity.
From 12 to 13 January 2026, another conceptual forum organised by Nora Markard (Münster) and Ulrike Ludwig (Münster) will be dedicated to the study of ‘Verfassungstechniken’ (constitutional techniques). The forum will address the question of the extent to which the linking of plural legal systems through international law practice produces unifying effects – and whether the concept can be applied to historical constellations of encounters between different legal systems. Political scientist Johannes Haaf (Frankfurt am Main) will be a guest speaker.
On 8 January 2026, a public panel discussion will take place at the LWL Museum für Kunst und Kultur in Münster. Under the title ‘Stoßen die Menschenrechte in Europa an Grenzen?’ (Are human rights reaching their limits in Europe?), current challenges to the European rule of law and migration policy will be discussed.
Finally, the ‘Tea Time Talks’ held throughout the semester offer brief insights into the wide range of research topics covered by the Kolleg. In short presentations, the fellows of the current cohort will introduce their projects.
Download the complete programme of events (PDF-file)