Events and Lectures
Registration is required to attend the events listed below.
All events will also be available via Zoom. For details, please register for the event below and indicate whether you would like to attend via Zoom or in person.
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Events and Lectures - 2025/26 |
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09/4 |
EXHIBITION AND BOOK LAUNCH Book Launch: Silence: A Literary History (OUP 2026) Exhibition: Silences/Stille/Schweigen
Oxford English Literature Professor Kate McLoughlin looks back over 12 centuries of English literature to uncover the power and possibilities of silence. Her talk (9th April) ranges from exile on icy seas described in Anglo Saxon poems to searches for silence in the modern age of pings. She includes blissful unions with the divine and the natural world, the hushes of intimacy, literary epics of grief, the failure of words in the face of war and silence as a form of protest. McLoughlin explores the ways in which authors create silence through words, including silence in Shakespeare and the work of medieval lyricists, who expressed complex theological notions through lullabies. Kate McLoughlin is a professor in English literature at the University of Oxford. Her books include Authoring War: The Literary Representation of War from the Iliad to Iraq and Veteran Poetics: British Literature in the Age of Mass Warfare, 1790–2015 and, as editor, The Cambridge Companion to War Writing. This event is a co-operation between the Centre for British Studies and the University of Oxford.
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6:30 p.m. s.t. (Doors open at 6.00 p.m.) Hörsaalruine Berlin Medizinhistorisches Museum Virchowweg 16 10117 Berlin
Exhibition times: 10 - 12 April 2026 from 10:00 to 17:00 hours s.t. Friday & Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday
Seating in the Hörsaalruine is limited. Registration is necessary at: events.gbz@hu-berlin.de.
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11/5-12/5 |
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE (with University of Limerick and Ulster University) Evolving Relationships - Ireland, the UK and Beyond. Including an evening discussion with Sam McBride and Paul Gillespie, chaired by Susan McKay (held at the Irish Embassy).
This two-day event, with expert speakers, held under the auspices of the Centre for British Studies, is the latest in a series initially devised and organised jointly by the University of Limerick and Ulster University, building on the success of four earlier events held in Ireland. The conference format reflects the experiences of, and participant feedback from, all four previous events, alongside concurrent discussions with colleagues in the Centre for British Studies. Hence, like its predecessors which were multi- and interdisciplinary in nature, the event aspires to establish how the changing nature of the complex political, governmental, economic, social, literary, artistic and cultural relations within and between both the UK and Ireland, might be best captured in the future focus of our work. This is a joint event organised by the Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin; the Centre for Irish-German Studies, University of Limerick; the Centre for Public Administration, Ulster University and kindly funded by the DAAD. |
Conference: 12:00 hours 11 May until 15:30 hours 12 May Centre for British Studies Room 105 and online via Zoom
Evening discussion: 19:00 hours 11 May Embassy of Ireland Jägerstraße 51 10117 Berlin
Seating is limited. Registration necessary at: events.gbz@hu-berlin.de.
Please state clearly if you intend to participate in person or online via Zoom. |
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1/6 |
PUBLIC LECTURE Legitimacy of the UK's Socio-Economic Crisis Management during Covid-19 Dr Marius Guderjan In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UK Government as well as the devolved governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland adopted a wide range of measures to support businesses, employment, households and individuals. However, the extraordinary circumstances of the pandemic raised concerns about the legitimacy of the socio-economic crisis management in the UK and elsewhere. By considering the accountability of decision-making, efficacy of policy implementation and the effectiveness of different measures, this lecture draws conclusions about the input, throughput and output legitimacy of the most important economic and social measures to mitigate the impact of COVID-19. Marius Guderjan further reflects on the policy coordination between different the central and the devolved governments and draws comparisons with other European countries. Dr Marius Guderjan is a Fellow at the Centre for British Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and co-chair of the German Association for British Studies. Between 2023 and 2025, he worked for the LEGITIMULT (Legitimate Crisis Governance in Multilevel Systems) project at the Otto Suhr Institute of Political Science of Freie Universität Berlin. Marius was awarded his habilitation at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and his PhD at Manchester Metropolitan University. His research interests include intergovernmental relations, territorial politics, multilevel governance, European and British politics.
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17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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Past events:Events and Lectures - 2025/26 |
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18/03 |
PUBLIC READING Writing the World, Writing the Island: Irish Writers in Conversation
Moderated by Prof. Dr. Gesa Stedman Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Kate Ferguson, journalist and anchor at Deutsche Welle
with the authors: Christine Dwyer Hickey, Paul Lynch, Martin Doyle, Rónán Hession, and Tadhg Mac Dhonnágain
This event is presented in partnership by the Embassy of Ireland, Germany, the Centre for British Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, and Literature Ireland.
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18:00 - 20:00 hours s.t. Senatssaal, Main Building
Registration necessary: |
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17/11
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VALEDICTORY LECTURE How (Not) to Compare Laws
Prof. Dr. Gerhard Dannemann,
Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin
with a tribute by German, European and International Private and Economic Law
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17:00 hours s.t. Senatssaal, Main Building
Registration necessary: |
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24/11 |
BOOK LAUNCH The Modern Dream of Order:
Prof Eva Ehninger
with a response by
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17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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02/12 |
KEYNOTE LECTURE Top Girls No More?
Prof Dr Angela McRobbie, FBA Professor Emeritus, Goldsmiths University of London
with an introduction by
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17:00 hours s.t.
Registration necessary: |
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15/12 |
PANEL DISCUSSION Interdisciplinary Approaches to British and Irish Studies
with Prof Paul Carmichael Prof Gisela Holfter HE Maeve Collins HE Andrew Mitchell CMG
Interdisciplinarity is frequently advocated—but how can it be meaningfully put into practice, and what does it signify within the context of Irish and British studies and diplomacy? This event offers valuable insights from the Ambassadors of Ireland and the United Kingdom to Germany on bilateral priorities and their perspectives on the evolving relationships between their countries and Germany. It will also provide unique opportunity to explore multifaceted approaches at the Centre for Irish-German Studies at the University of Limerick and the Centre for Public Administration at Ulster University.
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17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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26/1
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WORKSHOP New Social Histories of the Empire - Actors, Methods, and Archives with Dr. Riley Linebaugh Prof. Dr. Nazan Maksudyan Dr. Romain Tiquet Dr. Reeju Ray Dr. İlkay Yılmaz
Organised by Vidhya Raveendranathan
This workshop brings together historians specializing in South Asia, Africa and Ottoman Empire to reflect on the varied experiences of subalternity and histories from below that have informed their work and their reading of the archives.
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14:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße 60, 10117 Berlin Room 105 and online via Zoom
Registration necessary: |
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29/1 |
WORKSHOP The Sharing Economy: Beyond Two-Sided Markets
Organised by Ece Kuyululu-Cagli
This workshop explores the sharing economy as a transformative force in e-commerce, using platforms such as Airbnb and Uber as key examples. It examines the factors driving these platforms and the complex relationships between companies, service providers, and customers.
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15:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies Anton-Wilhelm-Amo-Straße 60, 10117 Berlin Room 105 and online via Zoom
Registration necessary: |
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Past events:Events and Lectures - 2024/25 |
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28/06
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LANGE NACHT DER WISSENSCHAFTEN 2025 No Place like “Home”: Windrush and Legacies of 20th Century Migration in the UK and Beyond MA British Studies Class 2024/2026
A student-led exhibition from the Centre for British Studies with a
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17:00 hours Ticketed event. |
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30/06 |
LECTURE Dr Judith Townend
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17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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16/06
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LECTURE British Colonialism and the Taming of the Foreshore and Littoral Societies in Early Colonial Madras Vidhya Raveendranathan Visiting Scholar, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Großbritannien-Zentrum
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17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary:
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26/03 |
PUBLIC READING Voices from Ireland:
moderated by
Prof. Dr. Gesa Stedman Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Großbritannien-Zentrum
This lecture is a cooperation between the Centre for British Studies, Literature Ireland, and the Embassy of Ireland in Berlin.
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17:00 hours s.t. Jacob-und-Wilhelm-
Registration necessary: |
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11/02
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LECTURE Truth in Materials: Looking at Modernism Prof Victoria Rosner Dean, The Gallatin School of Individualised Study
with a response by Visiting Scholar, Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin » Poster |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary:
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| 27/01 |
THE OXFORD-BERLIN LECTURE Where is Le Borysthène? Prof Philip Bullock Professor of Russian Literature and Music Prof Lucia Ruprecht Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Theatre Studies, Dance Studies Workshop |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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28/11 |
KEYNOTE LECTURE 2024 Postcolonial Poundland and Mismanaged Decline Prof Paul Gilroy, FRSL, FBA Professor of the Humanities Founding Director of the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for the Study of Racism & Racialisation Institute of Advanced Studies, University College London » Poster |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: |
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27/05 |
MONDAY LECTURE Emotional Histories of India in the Second World War Dr Diya Gupta Lecturer in Public History School of Policy and Global Affairs, City, University of London » Poster |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
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13/06 |
THE OXFORD-BERLIN LECTURE Britain, Europe and the Changing Global Order since 1900 Patricia Clavin, FRHistS, FBA Professor of Modern History
This lecture is a cooperation between the Centre for British Studies and the Franco-German Centre Marc Bloch, associated institute of the Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin » Poster |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
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Empire on Display: Reframing the Imperial Legacies of Art MA British Studies Class 2023/2025
This event is a cooperation between the Humboldt Universitätsgesellschaft and the Centre for British Studies » Poster
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Ticketed event. The event includes an art workshop for which spaces are limited.
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Past events:Events and Lectures - 2023/24
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04/12 |
MONDAY LECTURE The English Criminal Justice System: Adversarial Justice, Juries and the Judge as Referee
» Poster |
17:00 hours s.t. Centre for British Studies
Registration necessary: Click to open the registration form |
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11/12 |
ONLINE BOOK LAUNCH Politics and Policy Making in the UK Dr Sean Kippin Lecturer in Public Policy, University of Stirling
» Poster
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17:00 hours s.t. Online only
Registration necessary: |
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08/01 |
MONDAY LECTURE Legacies of Empire: Rural Walks Through Colonial Britain
» Poster
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17:00 hours s.t.
Registration necessary: |
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12/02 |
MONDAY LECTURE ‘Deutsche Völker’ and ‘us English Teutones’: National Literature and Identity
» Poster |
17:00 hours s.t.
Registration necessary: |
Past events:Events and Lectures - 2022/23 |
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20/11 |
PUBLIC READING
» Poster
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17:00 hours s.t.
Registration necessary:
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30/10 |
MONDAY LECTURE Accounting for British History: The Political Economy of Colonialism and Empire
» Poster
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17:00 hours s.t.
Registration necessary: |
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26/10 |
CANCELLED BOOK LAUNCH The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Diplomacy: Wie Diplomatie die Welt erklärt with Leigh Turner Writer and former British Ambassador to Ukraine and Austria
» Flyer
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15:00 to 16:00 hours s.t. Online for guests, in person for students
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05/10-06/10 |
"The NHS and the Legacies of Empire" Symposium This two-day international symposium marks the 75th anniversary of the British National Health Service (NHS) by focusing on a neglected theme in the organisation’s history, culture and current medical practices. 'The NHS and the legacies of empire' investigates the influence of race, colonialism and migration on different aspects of public health in the UK from 1948 through to the present day. By showcasing recent scholarly research and community projects this symposium has four main aims: 1) To highlight how the NHS was established and developed during Britain’s transition from Empire to Commonwealth; 2) To understand better the impact of health inequalities on BME communities in the UK; 3) To compare the colonial legacies within the NHS with the modern German public health system; 4) To debate the future of the NHS with BME health policy experts. The symposium is jointly hosted by the Berliner Medizinhistorische Museum der Charité (Berlin Medical History Museum). All welcome.
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For further information about registration (either in-person or via Zoom) please contact events.gbz@hu-berlin.de
Note: This is a two-day event. Please specify which days you would like to attend 2. Thursday, 5th October only; 3. Friday, 6th October only.
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| 07/09-10/09 |
EXHIBITION & PANEL DEBATE Afterlives of Empire - Encounters in Art and Academia Afterlives is a new project developed by Gesa Stedman and funded by Humboldt Universitätsgesellschaft. Art students from Oxford and Berlin show the results of a one-month residency at Humboldt-Universität, working with the university's academic collections.
For more information see: » Afterlives of Empire - Encounters in Art and Academia » Flyer |
Lichthof Ost, Unter den Linden 6 Contact: Prof. Dr. Gesa Stedman |
| 03/07 |
LECTURE What is political deference and can it help repair the British constitution today? |
17:00 hours Centre for British Studies Room 105 |
| 17/06 | EXHIBITION Happy in Berlin: English Writers in the City Prof Gesa Stedman & Prof Stefano Evangelista Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin |
17:00 hours Lichthof Ost Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin Unter den Linden 6 |
| 12/06 |
CANCELLED LECTURE Conservative Women and Public Action from a European Perspective |
17:00 hours |
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| 02/06 |
STUDENT-LED PROJECT Sounds and Vision: 100 years of the BBC in Berlin MA British Studies class 2022/24 |
16:00 hours Jacob-und-Wilhelm- |
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| 31/05 |
LECTURE Ireland‘s Unmarried Fathers Dr Clair Wills FBA, HonMRIA |
17:00 hours Centre for British Studies |
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| 25-26/05 |
WORKSHOP Medical Humanities Workshop
Organised by the Berlin-Britain Research Network Thanks for the support from Oxford Berlin Research Partnership, TORCH, and the Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin.
Panel 1: chaired by Axel Hüntelmann (Charité) Panel 2: chaired by Neil Vickers (KCL) Panel 3: chaired by Erica Charters Panel 4: chaired by Prof Miles Taylor
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Exact time: see details St Luke's Chapel, Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, Woodstock Road, Oxford, OX2 6GG |
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| 08/05 |
KEYNOTE LECTURE |
17:00 hours Centre for British Studies Room 105 |
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04/05
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INAUGURAL LECTURE ‘Intelligible Government‘? Rethinking the meaning of monarchy in the age of Charles IIIProf Miles Taylor Chair British History and Society, Centre for British Studies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin with a welcome introduction by Professor Sir Christopher Clark Regius Professor of History, University of Cambridge |
17:00 hours Centre for British Studies Room 105 |
Ongoing:
Britons in Berlin: An Exploration through the Senses (Student-led online exhibition)
More information on previous events can be found here.
For press releases of current and past events please click here.
All events will also be available via Zoom. For details, please register for the event above and indicate whether you would like to attend via Zoom or in person.
Visit www.gbz.hu-berlin.de or @CentreforBritishStudies Facebook page for any updates.