NaDiRa Lecture Series 2022/23: "A history of ignorance" - Racism in historical research
When? Thursday, January 19, 2023, 6 p.m.
Where? Youtube livestream
Speakers



"A history of ignorance": How historical research on the German migration society ignores racism
Racist knowledge and practices from the colonial era, National Socialism and the time of the "guest worker" regime still play an important role in Germany today. Supposedly neutral social norms, on which our social order is based, are closely linked to historical racist narratives. What methodological and ethical questions does this raise for German historical research on racialization, "race" and racism? What points of contact are there between historical research on migration and historical research on racism?
Using examples from her research on German migration history, PD Dr. Maria Alexopoulou will show that and how racist knowledge was passed on in everyday life, institutions and structures for the period between 1945 and 1990. The focus will also be on how racist knowledge was adapted to the new social conditions and what role ignorance plays as an epistemic prerequisite for racism. Dr. Minu Haschemi Yekani will comment on Maria Alexopoulou's contribution against the background of her expertise in colonial and global history. Dr. Kimiko Suda will moderate the subsequent joint discussion.
To read in
- Maria Alexopoulou (2021): Ignoring Racism in the History of the German Immigration Society: Some Reflections on Comparison as an Epistemic Practice. Journal for the History of Knowledge 2/1: 1-13.