32nd German Oriental Studies Conference in Münster

The German Oriental Society welcomes over 1,000 Orient researchers

More than 1,000 Oriental scholars from home and abroad are expected to participate in the largest German Oriental Studies Conference (Deutscher Orientalistentag, DOT), which will be held from 23 to 27 September at the University of Münster. Scholars will present recent research results about cultures in Asia, Africa and Arab regions in about 900 lectures and 80 panels. The spectrum ranges from basic research to contemporary issues such as the Arab revolutions, the politics of Iran, Islamic environmental movements, or Chinese people in multinational companies. The German Oriental Society (Deutsche Morgenländische Gesellschaft, DMG) will host the conference.

The conference is aimed at the professional and interdisciplinary exchange of experienced and young researchers in Oriental Studies from all over the world. The programme is as comprehensive as that of no other DOT before. The sections represented most strongly are Indology, Islamic Studies as well as Politics, Economy and Society, followed by Sinology, Iranian Studies, Turkish Studies and Arab Studies. The programme of the DOT is open to everybody who is interested. A conference fee is charged. The University of Münster, the Philologies Department, the Cluster of Excellence “Religion and Politics” and Münster Marketing promote the conference.

Among the speakers are top-class guests such as Sinologist Wilt Idema and the Professor of Ottoman studies Cemal Kafadar from Harvard, Byzantinist Hugh Kennedy from London, art historian Robert Hillenbrand from Edinburgh, the Freiburg Indologist Oskar von Hinüber and the Berlin Islamic studies scholar Gudrun Krämer, who will give the public evening lecture on 23 September on the topic of “Arcs of suspense: Islam, secularisation and the secular principle”. A framework programme including a concert and an exhibition is also scheduled.

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Topics of the 32nd German Oriental Studies Conference

• “Arab world does not want a state without religion”. Only a minority of people in Arab countries support the secular principle according to Islamic scholar Gudrun Krämer – de facto, however, secularisation already exists in many instances – public lecture at the German Oriental Studies Conference“Kaesong industrial zone will not change much in North Korea”. Koreanist does not expect any improvement in human rights situation despite fractional openings in North Korea – increasing brutality under Kim Jong-un – lecture at the 32nd German Oriental Studies Conference provides research results on the present situation From Assyrian Inscriptions to Asian Popular Culture. Well over 1,000 researchers in Oriental Studies expected at the largest German Oriental Studies Conference in Münster“Chinese People Disappointed with German Companies”. Sociologist interviews Chinese junior employees on career plans in international companies – 32nd German Oriental Studies Conference (Deutscher Orientalistentag) presents new Asia studies
• “Eco Islam is in Fashion”. Islamic studies scholar: Muslims in the West increasingly advocate protecting the environment
• “Syria’s cultural heritage is under threat”. Researchers expect the destruction of evidence of one of mankind’s oldest cultures – 32nd German Oriental Studies Conference investigates the history of the ancient Orient
• “Revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia have not yet been lost”. Islamic scholars: all political forces need to make compromises – maintaining the unifying impetus – otherwise civil war might be imminent
• “Resolving Misconceptions about the Orient”. 1,000 participants are expected at the largest German Oriental Studies Conference in Münster