Press Release | Wednesday, 14 November 2012
Science academies in the era of ideologies – the History of the Leopoldina project team meets in Halle
The working meeting of the project team “The History of the Leopoldina” from Humboldt University Berlin and the German National Academy of Sciences Leopoldina has as its central concern the interrelationships and the interdependencies that existed between the distinguishing ideologies of the 20th century and the science academies of the time. The sessions, operating under the title “Science Academies in the Era of Ideologies. Political Upheavals – scientific challenges – institutional conformity,” will take place between 22 and 24 November 2012 at the Leopoldina in Halle.
Due to its wars and violent upheavals, the 20th century is designated by historians as the era of extremes, of world wars or of ideologies. It was during that time that the seductive power and the destructive potential of political ideologies moved to the forefront of events. The interactions and conflicts between the ideologies also had consequences for science and its institutions. One topic of the Leopoldina conference is the effects that the ideologically driven political upheavals had on the contemporary science academies while another is the question of how well those academies were able to react to the scientific challenges of the day.
By considering the Leopoldina´s own constituent disciplines, the conference will determine which of them best epitomises the consequences of the web of interactions described above. In the process, it will not only be interesting to consider what effects these interdependencies had on the status of science academies in their society and on their place within the fabric of scientific institutions, but also the changes the academy itself underwent as an institution.
Supplementary to the conference are two other events open to the public: On Thursday, 22 November at 8:00 pm, Leopoldina member Professor Heinz-Elmar Tenoth will give an evening lecture entitled „Bildung durch Wissenschaft – Der Ort der Akademien” (“Education through Science – the Role of Academia”) which will consider the question whether that classically broad, Humboldtian educational concept still has a meaningful place in modern academia. On Friday, 23 November at 6:00 pm, there will be a panel discussion dealing with the topic “Utilitas oder Curiositas: Zur Bedeutung der Wissenschaftsakademien heute” (“Utilitas or Curiositas: the Importance of Science Academies Today”). The panel will include the Leopoldina members Professor Jörg Hacker, President of the Leopoldina, Professor Helmut Denk, President of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the science historian Professor Jürgen Renn (Berlin) and the social historian Professor Jürgen Kocka (Berlin). The moderator will be Jürgen Kaube from the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Workshop: “Science Academies in the Era of Ideologies”
Thursday, 22 November 2012, 2:00 pm through Saturday, 24 November, 3:00 pm
Leopoldina main building, lecture hall and ballroom
Jägerberg 1 (formerly Moritzburgring 10), 06108 Halle (Saale)
