Current Issues in North American and Cultural Studies

Each term renowned national and international scholars share their expertise in their respective research areas in our lecture series “Current Issues in North American and Cultural Studies.” All lectures are open to the public, so come join us for one of our upcoming events.

You can find this semester's program here¹.

Next Event

America’s War on Porn: Anti Pornography Discourses Across Ideologies

Madita Oeming | Independent writer

In her lecture, Madita Oeming explores the enduring political and cultural battle over pornography in the US ever since its legalization in 1969. Examining the conver gence of anti porn discourses across the political spectrum, her argument lays out how pornography has been framed as
societal harm. From radical feminists to right wing groups and Christian funda mentalists, various interest groups have instrumentalized cultural anxieties around sex and media to advance diverse political agendas. By tracing the historical roots and addressing recent developments of this
debate, the talk situates the resistance against pornography within the broader dynamics of culture wars and backlash against shifting sexual norms.

Program

Debating Columbus | Indigenous Peoples’ Day: Controversies and Conflicts in Memory Cultures

Monday | 14 October 2024 | 6:00 c.t. 8:00 pm | 53111 Bonn | Rabinstraße 8 | Room 7

Impulse Papers: Dr. Sabrina Schmitz Zerres | Universität Münster | “Adventurer, Explorer, Colonist? Columbus Narratives in History Textbooks" & Stefan Benz | North American Studies Program | "Celebrating Indigenous Peoples’ Day Past, Present, and Future Perspectives“ | Panelists: Dr. Aaron Nyerges | United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney | Matt Sheedy, PhD | North American Studies Program.²

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Sabine Sielke

Dr. Aaron Nyerges: "November 5th and the Fate of American Optimism"

Dr. Aaron Nyerges | United States Studies Centre, University of Sydney: "November 5th and the Fate of American Optimism"³

Panel Discussion: "The Winner Takes It All: Debating the Possible Outcome of the US Election"

Tuesday, 29 October 2024 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 7

Panel Discussion with Dr. Philipp Adorf, Prof. Dr. Andreas Falke, PD Dr. Jasper Trautsch, and Prof. Dr. Sabine Sielke: "The Winner Takes It All: Debating the Possible Outcome of the US Election"⁴

Election Night Special – watch CNN, listen to live music, share the excitement!

Tuesday, 5 November 2024 | 9:00 pm to 2:00 am | bpb:medienzentrum | Bundeskanzlerplatz 2E | 53113 Bonn

Election Night Special – watch CNN, listen to live music, share the excitement!
Co-organized with the Amerika Haus NRW e.V. and the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (bpb)

Panel Discussion: “The Winner Took It All: Debating the Outcome of the US-American Presidential Election 2024”

Panel Discussion with PD Dr. Simone Knewitz, apl. Prof. Dr. Jasper Trautsch, and Prof. Dr. Sabine Sielke: “The Winner Took It All: Debating the Outcome of the US-American Presidential Election 2024”⁵

Alexei Kazakov: "Nostalgia and Constructions of National Identities"

Thursday, 28 November 2024 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 02-025

Alexei Kazakov | University of Ottawa, Canada: "Nostalgia and Constructions of National Identities"⁶

Dr. Simon Schleusener: "Images of Degradation: Social Photography and the Politics of Visibility"

Tuesday, 10 December 2024 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 7

Dr. Simon Schleusener | John F. Kennedy Institute, FU Berlin, and North American Studies Program: "Images of Degradation: Social Photography and the Politics of Visibility"⁷

James Mendelson: "An Archive of Postcards: The Intersection of Cultural and Personal Memory"

Tuesday, 17 December 2024 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 7

James Mendelson, PhD | Independent scholar and writer: "An Archive of Postcards: The Intersection of Cultural and Personal Memory"⁸

Sarah Becker: "Water Corpses in US-American Visual Culture”

Thursday, 9 January 2025 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 02-025

Sarah Becker | Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin: “Water Corpses in US-American Visual Culture”⁹

Dr. Imke Lichterfeld: ‘"My consciousness flowing’: Outdoor Swimming and the Immediacy of Water in Roger Deakin’s Waterlog and Victoria Whiteworth’s Swimming with Seals"

Thursday, 16 January 2025 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 02-025

Dr. Imke Lichterfeld | IAAK, University of Bonn: "‘My consciousness flowing’: Outdoor Swimming and the Immediacy of Water in Roger Deakin’s Waterlog and Victoria Whiteworth’s Swimming with Seals"¹⁰

Martin Luther King Day Lecture with Jun.-Prof. Dr. Nadja Klopprogge: "Intimate Constellations as Sites of Multidirectional Memory: Relating African American and German History"

Monday, 20 January 2025 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 7

Martin Luther King Day Lecture
Jun.-Prof. Dr. Nadja Klopprogge | University of Tübingen: "Intimate Constellations as Sites of Multidirectional Memory: Relating African American and German History"¹¹

Madita Oeming: "America’s War on Porn: Anti-Pornography Discourses Across Ideologies"

Tuesday, 28 January 2025 | 6:00 c.t.-8:00 pm | Rabinstraße 8 | 53111 Bonn | Room 7

Madita Oeming | Independent writer: "America’s War on Porn: Anti-Pornography Discourses Across Ideologies"¹²

Lecture Series Archive ¹³