Panel discussion: Academic Knowledge Production and Responsibility

Transnational migrations of people, their bodies, stories and desires, is one of the main issues of political concern and interest. Accordingly, academic knowledge on transnational migration, produced at universities as central institutions in the production of knowledge, always entails a particularly political dimension, since it contributes to strengthening or weakening, affirming or criticising societal structures and processes. How, then, can scholarly responsibility be conceived in this context? How do we legitimise the mere search for "pure knowledge" in face of global inequalities of an unprecedented scope and scale and at a time, when human suffering (be it due to ecological damage, civil wars and poverty) has reached an unparalleled level in the history of mankind? Yet, what if the university would exclusively dedicate itself to these urgent issues in order to contribute to a change towards a better world? Would it lose its status as a place that "must not interdict any question, any putting into question" (Derrida)? What options, then, are left for researchers and to take social responsibility? Or would it be better to leave the university for good? The panel discussion sets out to address these and other questions, putting into dialogue voices from various disciplinary backgrounds.

Panel discussion with:

Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (Bremen), Wilhelm Krull (Volkswagen Foundation), Paul Mecheril (Bielefeld), Hatice Pinar Şenoğuz (Göttingen), Martin Butler (Oldenburg, moderation)

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Public panel discussion on the topic: Science and responsibility in the migration society: positions and perspectives - a dialogue

In view of growing global inequalities, unprecedented levels of migration and flight and the recent rise of populist ideologies, the question of the social responsibility of science is once again being raised. How could, should or should the university respond to these challenges? Should it intervene, should it engage in dialogue with other places of knowledge production, or should it refrain from any engagement beyond intellectual reflection? Is it even possible to act in a socially responsible way as a scientist? Or does this even require leaving the institution of the university? As part of the final conference of the doctoral programme "Migrationsgesellschaftliche Grenzformationen" (Oldenburg, Göttingen, Osnabrück), the panel will bring together top-class guests to discuss these and other questions on the topic. The panel will discuss:

Dr Wilhelm Krull (Volkswagen Foundation)

Prof Dr Yasemin Karakaşoğlu (University of Bremen)

Prof Dr Paul Mecheril (University of Bielefeld)

Dr Hatice Pinar Şenoğuz (University of Göttingen)

Moderation: Prof Dr Martin Butler (University of Oldenburg)

The panel will take place on 27 February 2020 at 18:00 at Cadillac, Huntestraße 4a, 26135 Oldenburg Admission is free.