The Chair at a Glance
Welcome to the website of the Chair of American Studies with a Focus on Diversity Studies. On the following pages you can learn more about the research and teaching profile of the chair, the team, our research activities, our courses, and contact information.
Chair of American Studies with a Focus on Diversity Studies
In research and teaching, the Chair of American Studies with a Focus on Diversity Studies regards diversity as a complex phenomenon which is (sub-)national to transnational in scope and deserves consideration in historical perspective. It explores processes of negotiating diversity in the US and beyond in scenarios of inequality.
What our thematically diverse research and teaching activities have in common is a dedication to exploring the social relevance and functions of cultural forms of expression in historical contexts. We are interested in how such formalized practices provide a framework not only for addressing, interpreting, and shaping individual realities and social, often conflict-laden dynamics of social diversity but also for testing alternative ways of thinking. By crossing disciplinary boundaries, we question potential effects of narrative dimensions of knowledge as well as historical phenomena related to the formation of social discourses based on text, sound, and image.
Prof. Carsten Junker has held the chair since 2019. The team includes Can Aydın and Laura Handl as research associates, Anna Pauder as research assistant as well as Annett Knöspel as the office manager.