WeberWorldCafé
Tue 29 Jan 2019 | 14:00–18:00

Changing Neighborhoods

Organized by Forum Transregionale Studien and Max Weber Stiftung, Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, Orient-Institut Beirut

Werkstatt der Kulturen, Wissmannstraße 32, 12049 Berlin

Pressemitteilung zur Veranstaltung

Neighbourhood relations differ from other kinds of relations in that they are primarily defined by space. Closeness rather than distance define neighbours and neighbourhoods. What is more, the spatial relation is more or less an enforced one – in most cases neighbours are not chosen but already there when people move and newly arrive.

The spatial character and the enforced closeness of shared space make the neighbourhood boundaries special. Conflicts in neighbourhoods are often dramatic; the solidarity of neighbours has been and still is a bare necessity. This gives the notion of neighbourliness its normative touch. We almost instinctively think of the proverbial “good neighbourly relations”, to be unneighbourly means to be unfriendly.

Changing Neighbourhoods will deal with both mobility and transformation. How have neighbourhoods developed and changed over time, in particular in cities that have experienced or are experiencing conflicts? How have central institutions of a city like museums shaped the fabric of the neighbourhoods around them? Have they contributed to a spirit of neighbourliness? What do migrants bring to their new neighbourhoods? Do they reproduce neighbourhoods abroad? How are neighbourhoods organised, and what actually makes a neighbourhood a neighbourhood? These are some of the questions our next WeberWorldCafé will try to answer.

The WeberWorldCafé (WWC) is a biannually event series jointly organized by the Max Weber Stiftung and the Forum Transregionale Studien. It brings together people from different regions and academic backgrounds to discuss one transregional topic at a time. The events are characterized by an open, coffeehouse-like atmosphere, where each participant can bring in their perspective and thoughts. During the four rounds (25 minutes each) the participants are given the possibility to discuss with the table hosts – who are all experts in their respective fields – various aspects of the overarching topic of „Changing Neighbourhoods.“ On the seven different thematic tables, the selected topics to be discussed allow both a historical and a contemporary perspective on the role of neighbourhoods. The table hosts are academics and practitioners with different disciplinary backgrounds, who moderate the discussions in English or German at the tables. As both participants and table hosts typically come from various disciplinary backgrounds, they all bring different perspectives, ideas and approaches to the respective topics and tables. The aim of the event is to create an open environment for new ideas and perspectives towards the particular theme in focus. Finally, the results are summed up for everyone, both on the spot and on the WeberWorldCafé Blog, and following the WeberWorldCafé, more discussions are encouraged.

A cooperation of:

Hilal Alkan (Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient), Nazan Maksudyan (Centre Marc Bloch), Nadia von Maltzahn (Orient Institut Beirut), Birgit Schäbler (Orient Institut Beirut), the  Max Weber Stiftung – Deutsche Geisteswissenschaftliche Institute im Ausland and the Forum Transregionale Studien.

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