Centre for German Studies at Peking University
Freie Universität Berlin & Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
3 and 4 July in Berlin
Despite analogous terms in other languages, Bildung is widely regarded as a distinctly German concept. Since the Enlightenment – in the works of thinkers such as Herder, Humboldt and Schiller – it has denoted more than the mere transmission of knowledge or vocational qualification: Bildung aspires to the formation of the whole person, fostering self-reflection, moral judgement and intellectual freedom. In German intellectual history, it became a central point of reference for the relationship between the individual and society, finding its literary expression in the Bildungsroman. At the same time, Bildung functioned as a marker of distinction within the German bourgeoisie.
History, however, also reveals the tensions between the ideal of Bildung and the ruptures of civilisation – symbolically encapsulated in Weimar and the nearby Buchenwald concentration camp memorial. Accordingly, the concept of Bildung remains the subject of ongoing debate: from Adorno’s diagnosis of “half-education” (Halbbildung), to critiques of meritocratic promises, to questions concerning the normative substance of Bildung in a world shaped by geopolitical conflicts, power dynamics and technological upheavals.
In the age of Artificial Intelligence, these questions have become even more pressing. AI is transforming research, teaching and schooling worldwide – from European innovation initiatives to its comprehensive integration in Chinese metropolitan areas. Against this backdrop, fundamental questions arise anew:
How do we define human Bildung in the age of AI? Which capacities render us unique in relation to the machine? And how can technological innovation, social justice and cultural sustainability be reconciled?
The conference, organised within the framework of the Centre for German Studies (ZDS) in cooperation with Peking University and Freie Universität Berlin, invites scholars interested in reflecting on the concept of Bildung from historical, systematic and future-oriented perspectives.
Thematic areas include:
- The concept of Bildung in German intellectual history
- Bildung, vocational training and meritocracy
- Humanistic ideals of Bildung and barbarism
- The normative dimension of educational programmes
- Bildung, literacy and knowledge in the age of AI
- Sustainability and education
- Bildung in art and science
Scholars are warmly invited to submit paper proposals.
Submission deadline: 30 April 2026
Contact: Dr Julia Kobzar
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