Workshop

Following up on research projects at ABI and the University of Freiburg/ACT on the restitution of Human Remains, the ABI hosted a workshop on Human Remains in University Collections - Comparison and Entanglements on July 15, 2024.

Participants from France, (Southwest) Germany, Switzerland, the United States of America and Tanzania gathered for an informal exchange on both, “collections” of human remains dating back over 100 years, and current challenges related to the commemoration and rectification of injustices represented by these collections. Organised primarily by three FRIAS fellows (Jenny Reardon, Anika Walke, Andreas Mehler) with the support of the Arnold Bergstraesser Institute (ABI), the Africa Centre for Transregional Research (ACT) and the Freiburg Institute for Advanced Studies (FRIAS), workshop participants explored avenues of research identified in the title— comparison and entanglements—by sharing knowledge and practical experience. The opportunity to hold such a workshop was linked to the visit by Evelynn Hammonds (Harvard University), an eminent researcher in the fields of the history of science and medicine and Chair of Harvard University’s Committee on Human Remains in University Museum Collections.

Read the full report on the Workshop to learn about the outcomes of the exchange:

On 22nd and 29th April 2024 the "Citizenship in times of change: East-African perspectives" was held as a collaborative effort between the Arnold-Bergstraesser-Institute, the Africa Centre for Transregional Research of the University of Freiburg, and the Basel Institute on Governance and Centre for African Studies from the University of Basel, to deepen understanding on the topic and promote cross-border discussion amongst colleagues.

The two-part workshop centered on the temporal dimensions of fluctuating citizenship, affected by crisis, violent conflict and refoundations of polities, which offer opportunities for mobilization (or resistance), but also potentially new constraints on civil rights. It also explored how denial of citizenship and civil rights during conflicts or occupation influences migration decisions and experiences, alongside how citizenship can change due to constitutional
revisions or shifts in regional structures. From various disciplines and foci, this workshop brought together reflections on citizenship in times of change.

Read and download the full report here (PDF).