Philosophy for Everyone!
The student initiative Öffentliche Philosophie Berlin is organising the lecture series “Philosophy for All!” for the third time from 24 to 26 April. Students from across Germany will present their socially relevant research and discuss it with an audience of philosophers and members of the general public.
Prof. Robin Celikates, FU Berlin, and Prof. Kristina Lepold, HU Berlin, will deliver keynote speeches.
LIFE AS A RISK – between chance, providence and calculation in the Ancient World
How did people in antiquity deal with risks? Whether illness, natural disasters, war, economic dependencies or religious interpretations – the ancient world was characterised by uncertainties that had to be recognised, interpreted and managed. The public lecture series examines how dangers were anticipated, knowledge gathered and strategies developed to mitigate risks. It demonstrates that earlier societies also faced challenges similar to those we face today. The public lecture series is organised by the Berlin College of Classics, a network for classical studies of which HU is a member, and Freie Universität Berlin.
Digital History – Current Developments and New Approaches
In the summer semester of 2026, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the Technical University of Berlin and the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History will jointly launch an international programme that examines key issues in digital history from a variety of perspectives.
The event combines a colloquium and a public lecture series, covering a spectrum ranging from the history of digitisation through computational history to public history. The focus is on current developments, methodological approaches and global perspectives – including contributions from Europe, Latin America and Asia. With international guests, the colloquium offers a platform for exchange on digital history.
When: From 15 April 2026, Wednesdays, 4 pm to 6 pm
Where: online and occasionally in a hybrid format
Who: TU, HU and the Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History
Registration: via email for online access
W.E.B. Du Bois Lectures
The W.E.B. Du Bois Lecture Series, organised by the Department of American Culture Studies, aims to promote intercultural dialogue. Academics and intellectuals are invited to give lectures addressing aspects and issues of public culture and contemporary forms of cultural criticism.
The series begins with a lecture by Johanna Pitetti-Heil, University of Cologne, on the topic: “The Roaring of Nature – The Taming of Nature: Essentialism and Racialisation in American Modern Dance”.
The lectures will be held in English.
Feminist philosophy
The public lecture series offers an insight into key issues, perspectives and methods in feminist philosophy. It explores areas such as political philosophy, metaphysics and epistemology, and critically analyses the interplay between gender relations, power and social inequality. The aim is to develop fairer and better forms of knowledge production, theory-building and coexistence. As part of the public lecture series, feminist philosophers will present current research projects.
The lectures are held in German or English and are aimed at Bachelor’s and Master’s students from all disciplines, as well as the interested public.
The series is organised by Prof. Dr Kristina Lepold in collaboration with the Feminist Philosophy Working Group.
Interventionism in Europe: Military and Humanitarian Intervention since 1945
Political, military and humanitarian interventions shaped international politics during the Cold War and remain ever-present to this day. But what exactly do these terms mean? What motives did the actors pursue, and what strategies did they develop to justify their actions? How did their concepts and actions reshape the international order?
The public lecture series ‘Interventionism in Europe: Military and Humanitarian Intervention since 1945’, organised by the Berlin Cold War College, will examine, during the summer semester of 2026, the various forms, actors and practices of interventionism in Europe since 1945, using selected examples.
The Green Thread. Public lecture series by the Sustainability Office: A tangled situation? We’re unravelling the Green Thread
The Sustainability Office invites you to explore new aspects of the sustainability debate from an interdisciplinary perspective. Attendees will not only hear from academic speakers, but also from activists and committed individuals who are actively driving the sustainability transition through their own projects.
Register for the public lecture series by emailing studium-oecologicum☞ Please insert an @ at this point ☜hu-berlin☞ Please insert a period at this pointde
Environmental conflicts
The tide has turned: whilst for a brief moment it seemed as though a major ecological transformation of society might yet succeed, climate policy ambitions are currently being scaled back and, in some cases, openly opposed. In the lecture series “Ecological Conflicts”, leading social scientists shed light on these sometimes heated debates: What dynamics and strategies shape the conflicts surrounding ecological transformation? Is the situation for climate policy ambitions really as bleak as it seems to some? And how can modern society adapt to ecological crises? These questions are at the heart of the series, to which the Gerda Henkel Research Group “Ecological Conflicts”, led by Vincent August and André Brodocz, cordially invites you.
- 11 May: Anita Engels: “Simply organising the climate transition? The difficult step from analysis to transition under challenging conditions”
- 1 June: Melanie Pichler: “Between the Green Deal and refossilisation: Transformation conflicts from a socio-metabolic perspective”
- 22 June: Ingolfur Blühdorn: “Ecological Ungovernability. On the Relevance of a Conservative Debate”