Bayreuther Stadtgespräche: City Talks

05. Februrary 2025 6 p.m.: Elections, power and mathematics
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Sascha Kurz, Chair of Business Mathematics, University of Bayreuth

On February 23, 2025, the 21st Bundestag will be elected in Germany - and it will be exciting. This is because the 2023 electoral law reform will be used for the first time in this election, with the aim of reducing the number of MPs in parliament. Numerous parties are competing to secure the coveted seats in the Bundestag. At the same time, new terms are emerging, such as “blackberry coalition”, which stands for a colorful mix of different parties. But what does all this mean for us as voters?

A few weeks before the election, we want to look at some important questions: How can power actually be measured mathematically? What are the effects of the latest electoral law reform? Could there have been better alternatives? And what is behind the accusation that the constituencies in January 2024 were “rigged” in favor of certain parties?

These questions not only affect the political future, but also our understanding of democracy and fairness. It therefore promises to be an exciting look behind the scenes of German politics - and at the mathematics that plays a major role in it.

04. December 2024, 6 p.m.: Caves, dwarves and subterranean riches: Imaginations of the underground in historical perspective
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Markus Stock, University of Toronto, Canada, Senior Fellows, Humboldt Centre (University of Bayreuth)

What lies hidden beneath the earth's surface has always fascinated people. In oral traditions, literary and religious texts as well as in art, the human imagination has dealt with how to deal with harmful influences and dangers, but also with treasures from the earth. Caves, grottos and mines were given great importance as underworld portals, and fantastic creatures such as dwarves, goblins and dragons were associated with them.

In his lecture, Prof. Markus Stock offers an insight into human imaginings of the underground, its riches and dangers, by drilling deep into history. Starting from the Middle Ages, he also discusses the historical beginnings of questions that remain highly topical in the current ecological debate: Should there be limits to human exploration and exploitation of subterranean matter? What are the benefits and harms of the extraction, circulation and use of mineral resources?

06. November 2024, 6 p.m.: Overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes - injections or exercise?
Speaker: Prof. Othmar Moser, Chair of Sports Science IV, University of Bayreuth

Due to the constant availability of foods high in fat and sugar, more and more people are affected by overweight, obesity and type 2 diabetes. At the same time, the amount of physical activity and sport is steadily decreasing, while the scales continue to point upwards. The solution seems so close and yet so far away: the so-called 'weight loss injection', which is supposed to make everyone slim and healthy. But isn't there also the possibility of conservative therapy that not only reduces body weight, but also contributes systemically to the health of the whole body?
The answer is clear: a lifestyle adjustment that makes every step count and at the same time changes the choice and quantity of food. In his lecture, Professor Othmar Moser will present a clear comparison of drug therapy and lifestyle intervention. He will also give specific recommendations on exercise, sport and diet based on international guidelines, scientific studies and his experience from the Specialist Outpatient Clinic for Physical Activity, Sport and Diabetes.
Let us convince you that there is a personalized lifestyle recommendation for everyone - you just have to find it.

09.10.2024 (instead of 02.10.2024), 6 p.m.! More than plastic: the technological potential of modern polymers
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Johannes Brendel, Chair of Macromolecular Chemistry I, University of Bayreuth

The 21st century is the age of polymers.” This statement is certainly not uncontroversial, but plastics and polymers have become an integral part of our daily lives. However, public perception is dominated by problems associated with the term “plastic”, which is sometimes used pejoratively. But does this justify a blanket criticism of plastics and polymer materials? Don't polymers also offer unique opportunities to enable new technologies?

In his lecture, Prof. Johannes C. Brendel will address the challenges in polymer chemistry, but also present the enormous application potential of modern polymers, which goes far beyond packaging. Based on his research, he will present examples of alternative battery technologies, flexible (bio)electronics and new therapeutic approaches in medicine that are only possible with the help of polymer chemistry.

3. July 2024:  On the magic and misery of the world – Wole Soyinka on his 90th birthday
Speaker: Vera Botterbusch, Munich

Wole Soyinka is a welcome guest in Bayreuth! Soyinka had been friends with Ulli Beier, the later founding director of the Iwalewahaus, since the 1960s. It was not least through his work with Beier that Soyinka developed into a figure of integration for African Anglophone literature and art, and with it a growing worldwide interest in African literature.

In 1986, the Nigerian writer Wole Soyinka became the first African writer to be awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature at the age of 52. This prize catapulted him into the world public eye as a voice of freedom, as a "writer and fighter" who championed the social conditions of his country, the African continent. His protests against the Nigerian military dictatorship repeatedly landed him in prison, including solitary confinement – and for years in exile.

The author, director, filmmaker and photographer Vera Botterbusch has met Wole Soyinka several times over the years, resulting in photos that she will use to reflect on Wole Soyinka's life and work as part of the "Bayreuth City Talk". The photos also form the basis for an exhibition to mark Wole Soyinka's 90th birthday, which will be on display at the Iwalewahaus until 28 August. In 1999, Vera Botterbusch made the documentary film "A Childhood in Nigeria", which you will also be able to see on 28 August as part of the exhibition finissage.

Immerse yourself with Vera Botterbusch and us in the exciting life and fascinating work of Wole Soyinka.

Replacement programme for the Stadtgespräch in June:

Please note: There will be no Town Talk in June 2024. Instead, due to the current situation, we are inviting all interested parties to the Iwalewahaus on Monday, June 3, 2024, from 5.15 - 6.45 p.m. to the Iwalewahaus. This will be part of the public lecture series “How to remember? National Socialism and racism on the local level”.
event on the topic of “Remembrance as a space for communication and negotiation”.

Speakers: Prof. Dr. Jörg Skriebeleit (Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial) and Dr. Sven Keller (Obersalzberg Documentation), moderated by Julia Reus

Memorials and Nazi documentation centers are central places for conveying history and remembrance. This is another reason why they are often the object of right-wing populist attacks, both verbal and physical. What is important for the work in the practical implementation of the culture of remembrance?

Prof. Dr. Jörg Skriebeleit (Flossenbürg Concentration Camp Memorial) and Dr. Sven Keller (Obersalzberg Documentation) will report on their many years of experience as proven experts and guest speakers at the lecture series. Julia Reus (Modern History, University of Bayreuth) will moderate the event (including the subsequent open discussion).

With the lecture series “Wie erinnern: Nationalsozialismus und Rassismus im Lokalen” in the summer semester 2024, we at the University of Bayreuth would like to stimulate dialog about the goals and methods of historical remembrance - especially in the local area.  

The series of events will discuss cultures of remembrance, memorial work and Nazi ideology with experts from the University of Bayreuth and guests from Germany and abroad. 

The city community is invited to take part in the lecture series every Monday.
You can find a complete overview of the lectures in the lecture series here.

08. May 2024: World export champion Germany - the past and future of our prosperity
Speaker: Professor Dr. Jan Otmar Hesse, Economic and Social History, University of Bayreuth

How can the rise of Germany as an export nation be proven and justified by history? What self-reinforcing effect has this had at a national and international level? Is the goal of export leadership still worth striving for given the current situation of empty shelves and pandemics, which have brought global trade to an impressive standstill in recent years? How will the German economy be affected by a reduction in consumption and further sustainability efforts? Can we also learn from history in this respect?

Professor Dr. Jan Otmar Hesse (Economic and Social History, University of Bayreuth) has been working intensively on the book "Export World Champion. Geschichte einer deutschen Obsession", published by Suhrkamp in October 2023, he has intensively examined these and other questions surrounding this emotionally charged topic. In his lecture, he will vividly explain the complex background to Germany's former rise as a trading power. He wants this contribution to be understood as a "suggested interpretation of German economic history" and thus provide food for thought.

10. April 2024: "Do you know how it was?" - Wagner's Ring of the Nibelung in historically informed performance practice
Speaker: Dr. Dominik Frank, Faculty of Linguistics and Literature Research Institute for Music Theatre (fimt), University of Bayreuth
Vocals: Sophia Feulner
Piano: Lluc Solés Carbó

Artistic research means research in and through art and at the same time making academic research tangible through artistic practice. This is a rather new field in the German-speaking university landscape. The Research Institute for Music Theatre (fimt) is therefore all the prouder to have acquired the DFG knowledge transfer project "Wagner singing in the 21st century - historically informed" together with the world-famous conductor Kent Nagano and the renowned original sound orchestra Concerto Köln. A historically informed performance of Wagner's Ring des Nibelungen will explore how this work might have sounded in Wagner's time.  The Wagner singers of today approach the ideal of that time by using historical singing, exposition and acting techniques. Dr Dominik Frank will give an overview of the rehearsal practice, the artistic and political implications of the project, the scientific results and planned further research projects. The lecture will be enriched with live music examples.

Website of the project: https://www.wagnergesang.uni-bayreuth.de/de/index.html

6.  March 2024: Franconia eats regionally - a question of logistics?
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Fikar, Professor of Food Supply Chain Management at the Faculty of Life Sciences: Food, Nutrition and Health, University of Bayreuth

The majority of the Bavarian population prefers regional food. However, this is not easy to achieve in out-of-home catering in particular, as the necessary structures are often lacking. Logistics, in particular, plays a critical role in getting goods to the point of consumption quickly and efficiently. The University of Bayreuth (Chair of Food Supply Chain Management) in Kulmbach is currently supporting two regions in Bavaria with the aim of increasing the proportion of regional food in gastronomy and communal catering. At the Kulmbach campus, several possible logistics concepts are being examined for their advantages and disadvantages by developing model-driven decision support systems. The first results of these projects will be presented in the lecture. In addition, findings from preliminary work in Austria and Italy will be reported.

7.  February 2024: Beyond flora and fauna: The overlooked diversity of the fungal kingdom
Speaker: Professor Dr. Claus Bässler (Chair of Fungal Ecology, University of Bayreuth)

Although it has been known for decades that fungi form a separate kingdom of organisms, it may sometimes come as a surprise that even official institutions such as nature conservation authorities often speak exclusively of flora and fauna, and often ignore fungi. Given their astonishing diversity and their importance in our ecosystems, our knowledge of these organisms is still very limited. In this talk, Professor Bässler would like to give an overview of the fungal kingdom, focusing on their diversity and their importance for ecosystems and humans. For example, it deals with the question of what connection there is between the doll's leg and organ transplants, how the evolution of fungal traits relates to our use of oil heaters, and why a prime minister is using the lemon yellow tramete as an argument for the establishment of a national park. Finally, Professor Bässler will give a brief overview of current fungal research in Bayreuth.

6. December 2023: Digital Feasting and Virtual Overconsumption: How Language and Food Provide Entertainment on the Net 
Speaker: Speaker: Dr. Sofia Rüdiger, Chair of English Linguistics

The popularity of videos in which the protagonists deal with food is growing enormously on social networks. They are often about different diets, health and fitness, but often also about gluttony and indulgence. Some of these content creators even earn their living by eating in front of the camera. But what function does language actually fulfill in videos of overconsumption, which are mainly about the act of eating? And how do the actors and actresses of these videos manage to let the audience participate in the taste experience? In this lecture, we will go on a journey of discovery of the linguistic form of so-called mukbang videos, in which large amounts of food are consumed and which captivate hundreds of thousands of viewers on YouTube, among other places. We explore how excessive consumption of food and certain linguistic patterns are used for the purpose of public self-presentation.

8. November 2023: Current trends in artificial intelligence 
Speaker: Dr. Niklas Kühl, (Chair of Information Systems and Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, University of Bayreuth)

Following on from the City Talk in October on the topic of transhumanism, Prof. Dr. Niklas Kühl (Chair of Business Informatics and Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence, University of Bayreuth) will present the fundamentals and trends in the field of machine learning in his talk and explain why developments in this area are currently progressing at a rapid pace. In doing so, we all face the question of the curse or blessing of the use of artificial intelligence? Can we trust it, provided we teach it ethics and morals? How can that succeed? How do we keep people, with their needs, concerns and goals, at the center when working with artificial intelligence? Will there be any jobs at all in the future without AI support? Will human workers have more free time in the future? The lecture provides answers to these questions.

4. October 2023: Transhumanism - Future or End of Humanity? 
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Bernd Kleine-Gunk, Nürnberg

Radical prolongation of life, genetic enhancement, medicinal enhancement of cognitive functions, computer-brain interfaces - all these are visions of transhumanism, which has many followers, especially in Silicon Valley.

To some, this sounds like bad science fiction, but much of it is already reality, at least in its beginnings. Transhumanism works primarily to improve the human being through the use of modern technologies. That sounds like a positive vision of the future. However, this also causes many people to fear dehumanization, the cyborgization of the human being or a revival of state eugenics.

The physician Prof. Bernd Kleine-Gunk, together with the philosopher Stefan Lorenz Sorgner, has published a comprehensive book on the subject. “Homo ex machina – the man of tomorrow” sheds light on the opportunities and risks of transhumanism. In the lecture within the series Bayreuth City Talks, the most important transhumanist ideas are presented critically. We can not only look forward to an interesting lecture, but certainly also to a lively discussion.

The current exhibition by Mulala Landry at the Iwalewahaus of the University of Bayreuth also addresses the topic of "transhumanism" in parts and is therefore an optimal complement to the lecture. Further information on the exhibition can be found at www.iwalewahaus.uni-bayreuth.de.

5. July 2023: Colonial Bayreuth - why it still affects us today
Speakers: Dr. Cassandra Mark-Thiesen (Africa and Global Historian, University of Bayreuth), Prof. Dr. Stefan Ouma (Economic Geographer, University of Bayreuth), Mr. Florian André Unterburger (Historian B.A. and initiator of the Förderverein Industriemuseum Bayreuth (IMB)).

Bayreuth's industrial prosperity is based to a particular extent on colonial value creation - without cotton, sugar cane or tobacco, industrialization would have been
would have taken a completely different course. But instead of following the traces of these raw materials and critically examining the circumstances of their production, racist and colonial racist and colonial language and images persist in public space. Through and devaluation of black people, the colonial legacy of the city remains until the colonial legacy of the city remains powerful to this day. In the city talk Cassandra Mark-Thiesen, Stefan Ouma and Florian André Unterburger go on a joint search for and attempt an interdisciplinary exploration and reappraisal of colonial Bayreuth.

https://www.ias.uni-bayreuth.de/de/index.html

7. June 2023: The sandstone houses in the Bayreuth region - outstanding but little-noticed cultural heritage.
Speaker: Prof. em Dr. Herbert Popp (former Chair of Urban Geography and Rural Geography, University of Bayreuth)

The area around Bayreuth is geologically characterized by the so-called "Obermainische Bruchschollenland", i.e. by the deposition of numerous layers of the Earth Middle Ages, especially layers of sandstone. On the basis of these geological conditions, strengthened by manorial regulations of the margraves, an area of urban as well as rural settlements has developed, which are characterized by the building material "sandstone". These sandstone houses of the Bayreuth region are the subject of a recently completed scientific and regional study, which will be presented at the Stadtgespräch. On the basis of numerous examples from the region, the following aspects are considered:

• the geological preconditions for building houses with sandstone ashlars
• the historical development towards the dominance of sandstone buildings since the 18th century, which was largely driven by the margraves.
  
  

The stock of sandstone buildings is characterized as a material region and as a historical cultural heritage that must be preserved.

3. May 2023: The soil as a habitat
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Johanna Pausch, Agroecology, University of Bayreuth

Europe is to become the world's first climate-neutral continent by 2050. Soils play a crucial role in achieving this ambitious goal. They store enormous amounts of carbon and are also one of the most important natural sources of atmospheric CO2. The many organisms that colonize the soil play a key role in breaking down and decomposing plant residues. The decomposition and transformation activities of soil organisms incorporate carbon compounds from plant residues into the soil and also release the nutrients they contain back into a form available to plants. Sustainable management of soil as a resource is therefore essential with regard to the global climate system, but also for a modern bioeconomy. Together with colleagues at the University of Bayreuth, geoecologist Johanna Pausch is researching the soil processes that contribute to carbon storage and nutrient release. The lecture "Soil as a habitat" will introduce soil inhabitants and their role in carbon and nutrient cycles. The lecture is the prelude to the lecture series "The Thin Skin of the Earth - Our Soils", which will be held this summer to accompany the exhibition of the same name at the University of Bayreuth. The exhibition will be on display in the Ecological-Botanical Garden of the University of Bayreuth from 16.04.-22.10.2023.

Website with more info:
https://www.bayceer.uni-bayreuth.de/boden/

5 April 2023: A feast for the king! Wilhelmine von Bayreuth's L'Huomo on the Margravial Opera Stage (in German)
Speaker: Dr. Andrea Zedler (Musicology, University of Bayreuth)

When King Frederick II visited Bayreuth in 1754, Margravine Wilhelmine could not pass up the opportunity to honour her brother with a festive performance in the Margravial Opera House. The Festa teatrale L'Huomo was on the programme. Since works of this type put the honoured person at the centre, one would expect praise for the Prussian king - but L'Huomo turns out differently: The remarkable play brought Enlightenment thought and thus reason as a central (ruler's) virtue prominently onto the stage in Bayreuth for the first time during a princely visit. The Margravine purposefully combines music with opulent stage effects and dance to heighten the drama, highlighting the contrast between evil (seduction/darkness) and the triumphant good (reason/light). In this talk we take a look behind the scenes of the upcoming performances on 5 and 6 May 2023 at the Margravial Opera House, which will be conducted by Dorothee Oberlinger.

15. March 2023: Microplastics in Main(em) River - How do they get in and what are they doing there?
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (Chair of Animal Ecology, University of Bayreuth)

Plastics are both a curse and a blessing - on the one hand, they enable us to live a comfortable and modern life; on the other hand, we find the tiniest plastic particles, microplastics, in our waters, in cosmetics, in food and in our bodies. Microplastic is a collective term for tiny particles consisting of a wide variety of plastics and additives. Their properties are very diverse, making it difficult to make accurate statements about the extent of environmental pollution and the risk to human health. Together with colleagues at the University of Bayreuth, ecologist Christian Laforsch is studying the chemical and physical properties of microplastics and their effect on the environment. They want to be able to better assess environmental risks and provide a basis for the development of environmentally friendly plastics. In the lecture, Christian Laforsch will provide insight into how microplastics are formed, how they are transported in the environment, what biological effects have been observed, and what questions science hopes to answer next.

08. February 2023: "How Metals Fuel the Climate Crisis and Are Hopefuls at the Same Time"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christoph Helbig (Ecological Resource Technology, University of Bayreuth)

Metals are everywhere: in buildings, in vehicles, in machines, in laptops, and a variety of application-specific technologies. There are over 60 different metals, from iron to lead to rhenium, each with different properties and problems. Some are so-called critical raw materials, others environmentally hazardous substances. The demand for ever greater quantities means that 9% of global greenhouse gas emissions are now attributable to the extraction and processing of metals. So, on the path to carbon neutrality, we should actually be using fewer metals globally, with longer product useful lives, and producing the metals with lower carbon footprints. However, the demand for many metals is expected to increase even further due to the energy transition and the circular economy for specialty metals is unfortunately not yet well developed. In this regard, the presentation will provide an overview of the current and future challenges between climate change, global material cycles, critical metals, environmental impacts and future technologies.

7. December 2022: Germany is looking for a repository for its highly radioactive waste - background, procedures, public participation
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Andreas Peterek and Eva Bayreuther (regional coordination office for the procedure for finding a repository; Wunsiedel District Office)

In May 2017, the German Bundestag passed the StandardSelection Act (StandardAG) in a large social consensus. This regulates a multi-stage procedure for finding the best possible location for the safe storage of around 27,000 cubic meters of highly radioactive waste from the operation of Germany's nuclear power plants. The repository should be in place by 2031, go into operation in 2051 and be closed forever around the turn of the millennium. The lecture explains the procedure and the current status of the search. The question of how such a serious determination for a location in the region then affected could be accepted is also being investigated.

The speakers follow the ongoing process on behalf of the districts and independent cities in Upper Franconia. Both are in charge of the "Upper Franconia Regional Coordination Center for the Repository Search Procedure", which is headed by Dr. Andreas Peterek.

2. November 2022: How can we understand artificial intelligence?
Speaker: Professor Dr. Lena Kästner (Chair of Philosophy, Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence at the University of Bayreuth

Why, why, why - these are not only popular questions for children, such questions are also important for adults. This is particularly evident in the fact that explanations are the central focus of important socio-political debates about artificial intelligence (AI).

For AI systems to be safe and trustworthy, the idea goes, their behaviour must be explainable. That is, if we want to use AI in our modern everyday lives, we must be able to explain why, for example, a self-driving car suddenly brakes, why Siri thinks chocolate is the meaning of life, or why a patient is given a certain diagnosis based on an MRI.

But what exactly are good explanations and what requirements should they fulfil? Unfortunately, there is no universal answer to this question. But can we say, at least for AI systems, what kind of explanations we are looking for? After this lecture you will know more!

5. October 2022: Between Invisibility and Exposure: Women and Data Politics
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Matthew Hannah, Chair of Cultural Geography, University of Bayreuth)

As a contribution to the "One University - One Book" initiative in autumn 2022 revolving around Das Patriarch der Dinge (the patriarchy of things) by Rebekka Endler, Prof. Dr. Matthew Hannah (Chair of Cultural Geography, University of Bayreuth) places Endler's book in the context of recent literature on so-called "data feminism". Why is data on the social situation and needs of women still so patchy and incomplete, while "knowledge" about women as sex objects or consumers is abundant? Why are so many aspects of everyday life conceived and designed without detailed knowledge about or participation by women themselves? Even if potentially useful data about women is available, why is it so often ignored or not used? To the extent that the absence of data is a problem, however, the solution is not necessarily just to "collect more data". For many disadvantaged groups, there are downsides to greater visibility that can range from troll attacks online to actual physical danger. What can be done to address gender injustice in these ambivalent circustances? A look at recent studies offers some possible answers.

6. July 2022: The South of New Zealand - Pristine Ecosystems and their Threats
Speaker: Professor Dr. Carl Beierkuhnlein (Chair of Biogeography at the University of Bayreuth)

New Zealand's South Island boasts several fascinating natural and highly modified cultural landscapes. Its extensive national parks are home to highly original and often unique ecosystems. The geographical isolation of the islands in the history of the earth has left its mark, as has human settlement, first by Polynesians and later by Europeans. The climatic gradients from south to north as well as to windward and leeward of the high mountains have led to the small-scale interlocking of the most diverse ecosystems. Surprising similarities with the fauna and flora of South America can be explained by plate tectonics, and by the occurrence of primeval species. In addition to climate change, the unique biotic communities are endangered by invasive species, and some of them have already been severely damaged. The functional conservation of large protected areas with diverse ecological niches is therefore of outstanding importance for New Zealand and the world.

1. June 2022: Holocaust and the culture(s) of remembrance in Germany in the international context
Speaker: Professor Dr. Alejandro Baer (University of Minnesota)

In Western societies today, the memory of the Holocaust forms a kind of civil and de-particularised commemoration, invoked in defence of democratic values, human rights, tolerance, and pluralism. It is not only in Germany that the crimes of National Socialism are presented in museums, memorials, and commemorations as a paradigmatic expression of evil that clashes with these values and principles. But what does Holocaust remembrance mean in the face of immediate threats? And what is the relation to Nazi crimes of populations whose memories are shaped by other (past or unfolding/present) genocides and forms of political violence? The lecture will explain both the effectiveness and the contradictions of the culture of Holocaust remembrance with examples from South America, Spain, Germany, and make reference to current developments in the Ukraine.

4. May 2022: Crises, war and crypto  – what will happen to our money?
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Herz, Chair of Economics I - International Economics and Finance, University of Bayreuth

Actually, the monetary policy of central banks like the European Central Bank (ECB) is a relatively simple thing. The ECB has a clear mandate, namely to keep prices and thus the value of the euro stable, it is politically independent, and it has the necessary instruments at its disposal. Nevertheless, the inflation rate has risen to a record level of over 7%, and the value of incomes and savings has declined accordingly.

Is this inflation homemade, i.e. the result of the ECB's ultra-expansive monetary policy over the last decade? And what role do the financial crises of recent years, the current Covid pandemic, and Russia's war in Ukraine play? The declining confidence in our monetary system has also accelerated the development of new private cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, with potentially far-reaching consequences for ECB monetary policy.

6. April 2022: War in eastern Central Europe - How can historiography help to understand the current war in Ukraine?
Speaker: Dr. Julia Eichenberg, Institute of Franconian Regional History of the Universities of Bamberg and Bayreuth

The Russian attack on Ukraine is currently being placed in a historical context in the media discussion. Sometimes a revival of the Cold War is invoked, and sometimes the Russian attack is explained with the implementation of the historical unity of Russians and Ukrainians. (How) can historiography help us to better understand the war? This City Talk will explain the need to look beyond the great powers. Instead, the history of eastern Central Europe and the experience of war in the violent 20th century will be addressed on the one hand, and the international framework on the other, showing we need to look more closely at the region and especially its history in order to properly analyse the current war.

9 March 2022: Why don't we eat insects? About law, reason, and emotion when eating".
Speaker:
Professor Dr. Kai Purnhagen, Professor for Food Law, University of Bayreuth

2 February 2022: Nature in Urban Bayreuth – our Roadmap to Species Diversity
Speaker:
Prof. Dr. Elisabeth Obermaier, Expert in the area of insect-plant interactions, University of Bayreuth
Robert Pfeifer, Head of the City Garden Office in Bayreuth, City of Bayreuth
Thomas Pickel, Project Leader “Urban Insect Biotopes”, Die Summer e.V.

1 December 2021: Nothing to fear in RNA - new RNA-based therapies and vaccines
Speaker: Professor Birgitta Wöhrl (Biochemistry IV, University of Bayreuth) and Professor Dr. Claus-Dieter Kuhn (Heisenberg Professor of RNA Biochemistry, University of Bayreuth)

3 November 2021: The Last Jews of the Arab World? Jewish life in Morocco and Tunisia
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Johannes Becke, Ben Gurion Endowed Chair of Israel and Middle Eastern Studies, Centre for Jewish Studies Heidelberg

4 August 2021: "The Bayreuth Festival and Judaism"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Anno Mungen (Chair of Theatre Studies, Research Institute for Music Theatre, University of Bayreuth)

7 July 2021: "Bayreuth between Orthodoxy and Reform. Rabbi Dr. Joseph Aub and his time"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Günter Dippold (District Curator of Local History, Culture and Heritage Bayreuth)

2 June 2021:  "Da will ich wieder ein bisschen mit Euch beisammen sein". Letters from a Viennese Jew to her emigrated family 1938 - 1942
Speaker: PD Dr. Jörg Zedler (Chair of Bavarian Regional History, University of Regensburg)

2 September 2020: “Give yourself a nudge": How to 'nudge' yourself to systematically make better decisions professionally and privately”
Speaker: Prof. (FH) PD Dr. habil. Johannes Siebert (Management Center Innsbruck)

1 July 2020: "Futurology: Extreme Weather and Resilience"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Anke Jentsch (Professor for Disturbance Ecology, University of Bayreuth)

21 May 2020:  "Back to the everyday: Lifehacks from the Astronaut Trainer"
Speaker: Laura Winterling (former astronaut trainer and Bayreuth Physics graduate)

6 May 2020: "Genome editing - the future of our food"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Stephan Clemens (Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth)

8 April 2020: "Glass: New applications for an old material"
Speaker: Prof. Dr.-Ing. Thorsten Gerdes (Ceramic Materials Engineering; Head, Keylab Glass Technology, University of Bayreuth)

4 March 2020: "The plastic age: Unobjective reporting on the topic of microplastics unsettles consumers. What researchers really (don't) know and forward-looking solutions"
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (Chair of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth) and Mbongeni Buthelezi (Artist, South Africa)

5 February 2020: "3D reconstruction of the historic bower in Thurnau Castle. Recreating historical rooms as a virtual experience "
Speakers (all University of Bayreuth): Dr. Marcus Mühlnikel (Institute for Franconian Regional History), Dr. Robert Schmidtchen (Recent History), Felix Liedel (Media Studies) and Prof. Dr. Michael Guthe (Applied Computer Science V)

8 January 2020: "Islam and Enlightenment. Another Perspective on Islamic Modernity"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Reinhard Schulze (Institute for Islamic Studies, University of Bern)

4 December 2019: "Public Key Cryptography: How Secure is the Internet?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Michael Dettweiler (Mathematics IV – Number Theory, University of Bayreuth)

6 November 2019: "Franken-Jura: place of longing - place of experience - place of enjoyment"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Herbert Popp (formally Urban Geography & Geography of Rural Areas, University of Bayreuth)

2 October 2019: "Malaria - Where is the journey heading?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Klaus Ersfeld (Professor for Genetics, Molecular Parasitology, University of Bayreuth)

4 September 2019: "Bayreuth city centre and Rotmain-Center: Friend or foe?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Rolf Monheim (former Professor for Applied Urban Geography & Urban Planning, University of Bayreuth)

3 July 2019: "Among pale faces - Immanuel Kant between racism and human rights"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Karlfriedrich Herb (Political Philosophy & the History of Ideas, University of Regensburg)

5 June 2019: "Revolution - Unity - and what then? East Germany's path from dictatorship to democracy"
Speaker: Dr. Illko-Sascha Kowalczuk (historian, author, Research Project Leader at the Stasi Records Agency, currently on leave)

8 May 2019: "European course setting 2019: what matters now"
Speaker: Dr. Stefan Krauss (Directorate-General for External Policies of the Union in the European Parliament)

3 April 2019: "The World in Miniature. Alexander von Humboldt's work in the Bayreuth region"
Speaker: Adrian Roßner (Research Assistant at the Quality Initiative for Teacher Education, University of Bayreuth)

13 March 2019: “And if that mocking bird won’t sing – a brief cultural and natural history of birds”
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Gerrit Begemann (Developmental Biology, University of Bayreuth)

6 February 2019: "Oswald and the Minne"
Speaker: PD Dr. Silvan Wagner (Early German Philology, University of Bayreuth)

5 December 2018: "Rosetta Comet Mission - In Search of the Origin of Life in Space (with 3D presentation)"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Uwe Meierhenrich (Director of the Chemistry Institute of the University of Nice)

7 November 2018: "How digital will my medical treatment be in the future?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dr. Klaus Nagels (Professor for Medical Management & Health Services Research)

10 October 2018: "Opportunities and risks of digitalisation for manufacturing companies in Upper Franconia"
Speaker: Professor Dr.-Ing. Frank Döpper (Manufacturing & Remanufacturing Technology, University of Bayreuth)

5 September 2018: "Lulo, amphibian and habitat: The Ecological-Botanical Garden as a place of research, education, and biodiversity"
Speakers: em. Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. Erwin Beck (Plant Physiology, University of Bayreuth) and PD Dr. Gregor Aas (Director of the Ecological Botanical Garden) 

4 July 2018: "Fake News' in the Cooking Pot - 'Twilight of the Gods' in Official Food Control"
Speaker: Dr. Ulrich Busch (Head of Department, State Institute for Food, Food Hygiene and Cosmetics (LH), Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety (LGL)) 

6 June 2018: "'Political Correctness': Experiences from the USA"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Matthew Hannah (Cultural Geography, University of Bayreuth) 

2 May 2018: "Cryptocurrencies and the Blockchain - a revolutionary idea and its real potential"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Gilbert Fridgen (Professor for Information Systems & Sustainable IT Management, University of Bayreuth) 

4 April 2018: "The World of Wilhelmine as Stage and Performance”
Speaker: Prof. em. Dr. Günter Berger (former Professor for Romance & Comparative Literature, University of Bayreuth) 

7 March 2018: "Money, goals, power - FIFA and professional football"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Markus Kurscheidt (Sport Governance & Event Management, University of Bayreuth)

7 February 2018: "On the value of diversity - the inclusive society as my great goal"
Speaker: Irmgard Badura (Commissioner of the Bavarian State Government for the Interests of People with Disabilities, Munich)

6 December 2017: "Biodiversity - what we lose when it declines"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Wirth (AG Spezielle Botanik und Funktionelle Biodiversität, University of Leipzig, German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research)

7 November 2017: "World Heritage plays - for the reopening of the Margravial Opera House"
Speakers: Prof. Dr. Hans-Jürgen Drescher (President of the August Everding Theatre Academy, Munich) and Bernd Schreiber (President of the Bavarian Administration of State Palaces, Gardens and Lakes, Munich)

4 October 2017: "Trumpolitics & Trumponomics - A Danger for Europe?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. David Stadelmann (Chair of Development Economics, University of Bayreuth)

6 September 2017: "Racism - what is it actually?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Susan Arndt (English Literature & Anglophone Literatures, University of Bayreuth)

5 July 2017: "Of Clouds and Fog - How Cloud Computing and the Internet of Things are Changing Our Lives"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Guido Wirtz (Practical IT, University of Bamberg)

7 June 2017: "European constitutionalism and rule of law at risk", Speaker: Prof. Dr. Peter M. Huber (Federal Constitutional Court, Karlsruhe)

3 May 2017: "From Hollywood to the Green Hill: In Spiderman's Footstep
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Thomas Scheibel (Biomaterials, University of Bayreuth)

5 April 2017: "Human biotope - we are 'colonised'"
Speaker: Prof. Prof. h.c. Dr. Wolfgang Schumann (em. Prof for Genetics, University of Bayreuth)

1 March 2017: "Living 15 years longer - What anti-ageing medicine can do today"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. med. Bernd Kleine-Gunk (Metropol Medical Center in Nürnberg)

1 February 2017: "Tension between land use and biodiversity - science in an advisory role"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Heike Feldhaar (Professor for Animal Population Ecology at Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth)

7 December 2016: “Mia wolln bartuu nu a weng waafm! Franconian, Bavarian, and why dialect is still quite contemporary”, Speaker: Prof. Dr. Anthony Rowley (Bavarian Academy of Sciences and Humanities / LMU)

2 November 2016: "Microplastics in aquatic ecosystems - invisible danger?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christian Laforsch (Chair of Animal Ecology I, University of Bayreuth)

5 October 2016: "Medicine between economy and morality"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. mult. Eckhard Nagel (Executive Director of the Institute for Medical Management & Health Science, University of Bayreuth)

7 September 2016: "How much health can we afford in the future?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Volker Ulrich (Bayreuth economist)

6 July 2016: "Power from the organic waste bin - How can this idea be realised economically and sustainably at the same time?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Ruth Freitag (Process Biotechnology, University of Bayreuth)

1 June 2016: "Prehistory(s) of Brexit - The British Relationship to Europe in Shakespeare and his Contemporaries"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Florian Kläger (Professor for English Studies, University of Bayreuth)

4 Mai 2016: "Is the new global climate agreement adequate from a scientific point of view?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Hartmut Graßl (Director emeritus of the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology, Hamburg)

6 April 2016: "Old poison fresh on the table - How dangerous is arsenic in our food?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Britta Planer-Friedrich (Professor of Environmental Geochemistry, University of Bayreuth)

2 March 2016: "Cells like to cycle - How to turn back my biological clock"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. med. Martin Halle (Specialist for Internal Medicine, Sports Medicine and Cardiology, Full Professor and Medical Director of the Preventive and Rehabilitative Sports Medicine research group at the Medical University Clinic, Technical University of Munich)

3 February 2016: "Flight, Migration and Integration - Experiences in History"
Speakers (all University of Bayreuth): Prof. Dr. Ralf Behrwald (Professor for Ancient History), Prof. Dr. Susanne Lachenicht (Chair of Early Modern History), Prof. Dr. Achim von Oppen (Professor for History with a focus on African History) and Prof. Dr. Jan-Otmar Hesse (Chair of Economic & Social History), Short presentations; commentary: Prof. Dr. Dirk Hoerder

2 December 2015: "Of Allergies and Allergens"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Paul Rösch (Chair of Biopolymers, University of Bayreuth, Managing Director of the Research Centre for Bio-Macromolecules (BIOmac) and co-founder of ALNuMed GmbH for Food Analysis)

4 November 2015: "From Nazi functionary to concentration camp prisoner - pastors and National Socialism in the Bayreuth region"
Speaker: Dr. Björn Mensing (regional church representative for Protestant memorial work, pastor and historian, Dachau)

7 October 2015: "Muslims in Germany between Islam Criticism and Integration"
Speakers: Dr. Lale Akgün (Psychologist, former spokesperson on Islamic policy for the SPD parliamentary group), Dr. Abdel-Hakim Ourghi (Head of Department of Islamic Theology, Freiburg University of Education) and Prof. Dr. Rüdiger Seesemann (Heisenberg Professor for Islamic Studies, University of Bayreuth), Podium discussion; Host: Prof. Dr. Paula Schrode

1 July 2015: "The shape of Upper Franconian towns - material cultural heritage and tourist potentia
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Herbert Popp

3 June 2015: "'...not for cowards' - What literature knows about ageing"
Speaker: Prof. em. Dr. Wolfgang Frühwald (Professor for Modern German Literature, Ludwig Maximilians University of Munich)

6 May 2015: "125 Years of the Luisenburg: Presentation on the History of the Luisenburg Festival"
Speaker: Michael Lerchenberg (Director of the Luisenburg Festival, Wunsiedel)

1 April 2015: "The Edible City - Concepts of Sustainable Green Space Planning"
Speaker: Dr. Lutz Kosack (Managing Director of 'Wesentlich - Büro für Urbane PflanzKultur' (Essential -Office for Urban Planting Culture) in Erbach, Rhineland-Palatinate, initiator of the 'Essbare Stadt Andernach' (Edible City of Andernach))

4 March 2015: "Animal intelligent: what we can learn from animals"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Stefan Schuster (Chair of Animal Physiology, University of Bayreuth)

4 February 2015: "The Evolution of the Universe from the Big Bang to Today"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Gisela Anton (Chair of Astroparticle Physics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg)

7 January 2015: "Varieties of Religious Interconnections: Jews, Christians and Muslims from Late Antiquity to the Middle Ages"
Speakers: Prof. Sarah Stroumsa (member of the Instittute of Advanced Study in Berlin) and Prof. Guy G. Stroumsa (Professor Emer. of Comparative Religion, Hebrew University, Jerusalem and Professor Emer. of Abrahamic religions, University of Oxford)

3 December 2014: "Universities at War? A debate on the civilian clause"
Speakers: Oliver Jörg (Member of the Bavarian State Parliament for the constituency of Würzburg-Stadt) and Daniel Gaittet (Spokesperson of the State Committee of Students in GEW Bayern (Union for Education and Science, Bavaria), Member of the Board of 'fzs -freier zusammenschluss von studentInnenschaften’ (fzs - free association of student bodies)), Podium discussion; Host: Prof. Dr. Nina Nestler

5 November 2014: "The Ebola Virus - An Epidemic Pathogen Like Any Other?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Fleckenstein (Director of the Virological Institute, University Hospital Erlangen)

1 October 2014: "Homo Narrans - Why do we narrate?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Martin Huber (Chair of Modern German Literature, University of Bayreuth)

3 September 2014: "Internet(t)? - A family lecture about the unfriendly faces of the WWW and its la
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Bernd Kannowski (Chair of Civil Law & Legal History, University of Bayreuth)

2 July 2014: "Franconia in Bavaria - is that even possible?"
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Dr. h. c. mult. Hans Maier (former Bavarian Minister of Science)