Chair of American Studies

In research and teaching, the Chair of American Studies examines processes of the cultural negotiation of demographic plurality within scenarios of inequality. These processes are analyzed with respect to (sub)national to transnational perspectives, grounded in historical depth. The common thread uniting our diverse activities is an interest in the societal relevance and functions of cultural forms of expression.

We investigate how practices of formalization provide the frameworks to envision, negotiate, and interpret individual realities and the often conflict-laden dynamics of social diversity, as well as to test alternative modes of thought. By crossing disciplinary boundaries, we interrogate the potential effects of culturally scripted dimensions of knowledge as well as historically shaped phenomena related to the formation of discourses based on text, sound, and image.

Prof. Carsten Junker has held the chair since 2019. The team includes Can Aydın (Research Associate) and Laura Handl (Research Assistant), as well as Annett Knöspel (Office Manager).

We commemorate Anna Pauder, who worked as a research assistant for the chair from 2022 until 2025.