The Bonn Lectures in the Public Humanities
The Bonn Lectures in the Public Humanities is a new series of talks aimed at Bonn students, scholars, and the larger community in and outside of the academy. Guests reflect on the role of humanities outreach in their scholarly work, but also discuss the practical aspects of writing and editing general interest essays and books and producing in other media. A substantial amount of time is allowed for Q&A so as to ensure that questions are answered.
Upcoming Speaker
Dr Laura Varnam
16th May 2024
Title: Poems for the Women of Beowulf
Where: 6.30pm ct, Rabinstr. 8, Seminarraum 6.
Abstract: Laura is a Lecturer in Old and Middle English Literature at University College, Oxford. Laura's first book, The Church as Sacred Space in Middle English Literature and Culture , was published by Manchester University Press in 2018.
Laura is currently working on a poetry collection inspired by the women of Beowulf, and will read from this collection for her talk. She will also discuss the process of writing poetry inspired by medieval literature with Prof. Irina Dumitrescu.
Upcoming Speaker
Prof. Ruby Lal (Emory University)
Title: Lacunae: Crafting Narratives of Daring Mughal Women
Where: Thursday 23rd May, 5-7pm, Seminarraum 8, Rabinstr. 8
Abstract: Oblivion and erasure are themes that have been at the core of Ruby Lal’s work since she began her career as an historian. She has explored not only what happened in the past, and why certain figures do not take center stage in Mughal history, but also how women, girls, ordinary people, ambiguous figures (eunuchs, concubines, wet nurses), spaces (harem, gardens, tents), and multiple forms of desire are made deviant, redundant, or obscure in history. At the heart of her new biography of the sixteenth century Princess Gulbadan, the only woman Mughal historian, rests the “question of evidence.”
In conversation with Irina Dumitrescu, she will explore what counts as a source? Who decides what is memorable and deserving of the name archive? How have the most important Mughal sources been preserved and become available to us? Who writes them, for what purpose? Since her previous and third work, Empress: The Astonishing Reign of Nur Jahan, Lal took on a new form of writing, i.e biography/non-fiction. She will also discuss why she turned to a new form and what about the Mughal era she found particularly intriguing.
Previous Speakers
Our previous speakers have included:
- Mary Wellesley (historian), "Sifting the Ashes: Writing the Biographies of Women Burnt at the Stake", 25th January 2024.
- Anne Savarese (Princeton University Press), “Beyond the Monograph: Scholarly Publishing for a Broad Audience”
- Danielle Bainbridge (Northwestern), "Translating Your Research and Finding an Audience Online"
- Greg Kelly (CBC Radio), "Leading a (professional) life of the mind."
- Costica Bradatan (Texas Tech), "Why We Fail and How."
- Carissa Harris (Temple), "Pleasure and Outrage: Approaching Public Scholarship as a Medievalist."
- Merve Emre (Oxford), "The Pernicious Fiction of 'The Public Intellectual.'"