Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin - Sprachenzentrum

Im Rahmen dieses Programms finden folgende öffentliche Vorträge statt, zu denen wir herzlich einladen.

Ansprechpartnerin: Cornelia Hacke (cornelia.hacke@spz.hu-berlin.de)

Gaye Gungor

Decision Making in the EU
This lecture introduces the players in the European Union’s legislative politics and provides students with a basic understanding of the structure and process of legislative politics, including the legislative procedures and Community’s legal acts.

Donnerstag, 22.1.09, 12-14 Uhr, UNI 3b, 201 (Kolloquium Prof. Immergut)

Mathias Delori

A Critical History of Franco-German "Reconciliation" (1960-2008)
Franco-German rapprochement is accurately depicted in peace research literature as an impressive example of conflict resolution. Yet, as I will argue in this lecture, the conventional understanding of an ostensibly successful Franco-German rapprochement requires reconsideration. I propose to make a distinction between two processes: the cooperation which took place through the European integration process since the 1950s, and the so-called Franco-German "special partnership policy" institutionalized by the Franco-German treaty of 1963. Whereas the former was clearly a success story, one can question whether the latter actually contributed to a closer cooperation between both countries. I will show that the Franco-German "special partnership policy" launched in the 1960s has lead to very few concrete public policies. One can argue that it has been more powerful at the symbolic level. De Gaulle, Adenauer and their successors have constructed political artefacts, such as the "référentiel", a "paradigm" or "belief system" – that was strong enough to influence French and German foreign policies. While some French and German officials might sometimes think narrative of the Franco-German "reconciliation" or the metaphor of the Franco-German "couple" or "tandem", which have encountered some success by the media. But those symbols did not succeed in creating a "structure of meaning" - what policy analysts call a "European", they never think "Franco-German".

Donnerstag, 22.1.09, 14-16 UNI 3b, 001 (Kolloquium Prof. Kreile)

Naoko Seriu

Why did soldiers desert from the French army in peacetime in the century of the Enlightenment?
The Age of the Enlightenment was not a peaceful one. The French army went through many years of war, not only in Europe but also in the emerging colonies. Over the course of a series of international conflicts and challenges, the French military hegemony of the seventeenth century was difficult to maintain. In the second half of the eighteenth century, the army of the Old Regime aspired to change and progress. In particular, in the period of relative peace after the Seven Years War (1756-1763), which had demonstrated the superiority of the Prussian army, there was a time of reform. This paper discusses the suffering of soldiers in this context of peace and reform. Through an examination of criminal records on desertion, it explores some neglected aspects of the experience of men confronted with the various institutional norms and values. It focuses on the difficulties encountered by men of the lower classes on joining the army, the emotions caused, and whether deserters’ discourses reveal interpretations of the institution which differ from the official narrative highlighting the progress of military art. Soldiers suffered from their relationship with the many rules and obligations imposed by both the hierarchy and their colleagues. They could be punished by officers because they were late for roll call, or had poorly cleaned uniforms. They could also be brutalized for lack of progress in training. Horizontal relationships, with comrades, could lead to violence over matters such as not speaking French, eating too much, or just having no «sense of shifty». Centring on this double set of relationships which determined a soldier's life, this paper seeks to analyze the soldiers’ reactions to the many norms experienced in the army of the Enlightenment.

Sonnabend, 24.1.09, 14-15 Uhr, UL 6, 3054 (findet innerhalb eines Oberseminars von Prof. Schilling statt)

Belen Olmos Giupponi

"The EU after the Ireland’s rejection to Lisbon Treaty: What else? Challenges and possibilities for the future"
After the signing of the Lisbon Treaty, the European Union is facing new challenges.  Ireland’s rejection of the Lisbon Treaty has raised important questions for the future of the European Union. The Lisbon Treaty as a "soft version" of the failed European Constitution intended to express the EU Member States’ view on key issues, both institutional and material, for the future.
Indeed, after the negative referendum we can now see the impact of it on the European Union. Firstly, the treaty will no longer be able to come into effect as scheduled on January 1, 2009. Secondly, Ireland's rejection forces us to re-think the current difficulties/problems that the EU is facing.
Up to now, the ratification process will continue and the proposal of a second referendum in Ireland seems to be approved.
These differences among EU Member States show the need for a multi-speed model that the EU is currently contemplating. On one hand, we have Germany and France as the main actors with a strong commitment and, on the other, a group of states not willing to intensify the integration process (euro-sceptics).
Thus, the lecture will attempt to analyze what is on the future EU agenda, after the Lisbon Treaty and the significance of Ireland’s rejection.

Montag, 26.1.09, 18 Uhr, BE 1, E 42 (Kolloquium Prof. Bodewig)

Iryna Vushko

Masochism, Bureaucracy, and Austrian Galicia: Leopold Sacher-Masoch and the "Invention" of Ruthenians, 1772-1882
This lecture addresses the social and political transformations in the Habsburg province of Galicia through the prism of Leopold Sacher-Masoch – a prominent Austrian writer in late nineteenth century Vienna. Sacher-Masoch became best known as the founding father of masochism, yet the masochistic experiments, which he described in one of his novels, formed only part of the heritage that Sacher-Masoch left behind.  He was born in Galicia in 1836 into a family of Austrian German speaking bureaucrats in the province.  He spent only the first twelve years of his life in Galicia, yet returned to his Galician childhood in his many writings on Galician subjects later in his career, while residing in Vienna.  In the 1870s and 1880s, Sacher-Masoch published several autobiographical texts, and created a paradox by declaring himself a Ruthenian (Ukrainian). This lecture seeks to explain Sacher-Masoch Ruthenian choices within the context of Habsburg politics and society, and the emergence of modern nationalisms in nineteenth century East-Central Europe.

Mittwoch, 28.1.09, 8.30-10 Uhr, DOR 24, 1.404 (LEHRVERANSTALTUNG Prof Penter)

Mindia Vashakmadze

The Russian-Georgian War 2008: An international Law Perspective
The Russian-Georgian War 2008 raises not only delicate political questions but also legal questions related to the prohibition of the use of force in international law. Both parties involved in the conflict presented their legal justifications for military action. As the prohibition against the use of force contained in Article 2.4 of the United Nations Charter is one of the most fundamental rules of contemporary international law, any justification for the use of force should be examined very carefully. It is not the purpose of this lecture to clarify all the controversial issues related to the Russian-Georgian conflict. It rather aims to examine legal arguments presented by the parties in the light of fundamental principles of international law. It will focus on the conditions under which nations may legitimately resort to force. Through the analysis of legal arguments and the manner in which the parties have invoked them, the lecture examines the role of international law in this conflict, which has political implications far beyond the South Caucasus region.

Mittwoch 28.1.09,  10-12 Uhr, BE 1, E 42 (VORLESUNG Prof. Nolte)

Roberta Pergher

"Lebensraum" and "spazio vitale": Imperial conversations between the Axis partners
This lecture explores the expansionary politics of Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. Both regimes challenged the postwar European order and pursued a particular form of “colonialism”, combining their aspirations on the European continent with those overseas and seeking new territory for their supposedly burgeoning populations. “Living space,” i.e. “Lebensraum” in German and “spazio vitale” in Italian, was the concept that the two regimes employed in their quest. Yet the similarities between the two Axis partners went well beyond ideology and encompassed practices of settlement and racial segregation. In this process, the Axis partners learned and copied from each other, though not necessarily in collegial cooperation but rather in aggressive competition.

Donnerstag, 29.1.09, 12-14 Uhr, DOR 24, 1.402 (Zeit+Ort noch vorläufig) (Kolloquium Prof. Metzler)

Paolo Pin

Social Networks in Economics
How important is it who I know in order to get a job? Do I have greater chances to succeed as a firm if I do business with many others, or if I focalize on a few solid collaborations?
While sociologists have always acknowledged the importance of social relations in the shaping and efficiency of any organization, economists have started discussing these topics only in the last decade, with application on markets and social capital. Matthew Jackson is one of the first pioneers in this field and has recently written various surveys on the topic, both divulgative and more micro-economic oriented. Recent books on this topic are "Social and Economic Networks", also by Matthew Jackson, and "Connections: An Introduction to the Economics of Networks" by Sanjeev Goyal.

Donnerstag, 29.1.09 18-20 Uhr SPA1, 23