Jonas Ruegg’s Post

JUST PUBLISHED in Communist and Post-Communist Studies: Introduction to the Special Issue on Eurasian Continuities: Historical Legacies in the Post-Communist World—Ideologies, Practices, or Social Constructions? by Alexander Libman & Anastassia Obydenkova 📢 Free to access for one week! 📢 Abstract: This article serves as an introduction to the special issue devoted to historical continuities in Eurasia and different conceptualizations of the communist legacies. It highlights the main research challenges the special issue deals with and how they fit into a more general discussion about the application of the concept of “post-communism” as an analytical category. It further reviews the composition of the special issue and sums up the main scholarly insights it produced. https://lnkd.in/gKsYwTVd

Inherit’s theme: “Decentring the Human” Yet another significant research strand being tackled at inherit. heritage in transformation is "decentering the human". Decentering the human indexes a confluence of developments in the humanities, relating to wider socio– and especially socio-environmental concerns, which call for giving more recognition to non-human beings and entities. The Anthropocene, anxieties about climate catastrophe and the associated need to develop approaches and ethics that go beyond immediate human interests have been major impulses. So too have been the material turn and aspects of the ontological turn; the digital, and especially artificial intelligence; and the less human-centric perspectives of other, particularly some indigenous, worlds. These all, in various ways, challenge the humanities to examine their remit and premises, and even to transform into what some call the post humanities.   Heritage as a field of scholarship and practice readily opens up to – and even demands – more-than-human approaches. Involving more than just the human, heritage raises questions about materiality, the agency and affordances of objects, the implications of infrastructures, the workings of the digital, and multi-species engagements. Heritage can be officially ‘natural’ as well as ‘cultural’, while it simultaneously blurs the boundary between these; and likewise, for so-called ‘tangible’ and ‘intangible’ heritage. As such, more-than-human heritage research and practice leads to critical interrogation of certain heritage classifications and ways of defining and dealing with heritage. © World Heritage Promotion Team of Korean Tidal Flat #inherit #research #theme # #decentering #human #humboldt #heritage #culture #university #society #berlin #humanities

The International Congress on Indigenous Worlds (COIMI) is just around the corner and is eagerly awaited. The main theme is: Sources and interethnic narratives about indigenous peoples in the past and their reflections in the present. A very good opportunity to get to know new epistemological, historical, documentary and anthropological interpretations! https://lnkd.in/d8YSvepK

📌 Seven years ago we started building this collective interdisciplinary research project on the geopolitics of the American continent: the GEOPAM network 🌎 (www.geopam.org) ✅ More than 40 active researchers in Latin America, the US, and Europe ✅ More than 30 academic institutions supporting us ✅ Over 50 events organized ✅ 4 research nodes ✅ 3 books ✅ 3 books resulting from internal debates within the network's nodes ✅ Canoa: an online editorial experience (www.canoageopam.org) ✅ 2 Experiences of Place: The Strait of Magellan and Rio de Janeiro ✅ Presence on 4 social networks: Facebook, X, Instagram, and YouTube #geopolitics #History #interdisciplinaryresearch

Geopolitics: a Philosophical Approach These my brand-new reflections on geopolitics present it as a philosophical field, emphasizing the influence of geography on political strategies and the impact of geopolitical actions on collective identities and human conditions. It integrates classical philosophical thoughts on power and State acts, aiming to deepen the understanding of nations’ strategic behaviours and ethical considerations. This reflective approach seeks to enhance insights into global interactions and the shaping of geopolitical landscapes. A Philosophy of Geopolitics Part I

I'm thrilled to share that the first article of my PhD thesis, "Polar Contradictions: China's Dialectical Thinking about the Arctic," has been published in Geopolitics ahead of the Arctic Circle Assembly this year. In this article, I examined over a thousand Chinese articles on the Arctic to understand how China's traditional philosophy influences its Arctic policy. 📚 In the Arctic, we often discuss non-Western ways of living and being, especially Indigenous ways. As an Indigenous person (albeit non-Arctic), I deeply respect various philosophical traditions, whether from the West or the East. My academic contribution to the Arctic discourse involves attempting to comprehend China's foreign policy through the lens of China's traditional philosophy, particularly the tongbian philosophy and the zhongyong dialectic. By understanding Chinese dialectical thinking, we can move beyond simplistic interpretations of China's foreign policy that focus solely on identifying hidden agendas or attributing inconsistencies to disjointed policy efforts.🌍 Instead, we can appreciate how policy actors navigate complex situations by finding a middle ground between competing interests and acknowledging the validity of multiple perspectives. China's academic and official discussions on Arctic policy reflect its dialectical thinking, which is rooted in Chinese philosophy. This allows China to reconcile contradictions such as being both a near-Arctic state and a global stakeholder, balancing environmental protection and resource development, and the desire for Arctic governance reform while respecting the existing order. In the article, I analyze keywords and themes in Chinese academic publications and government documents to support these arguments. 📰 Available 👇

DKU recently hosted an academic conference that brought together Chinese and Western perspectives on space exploration. The "Spirit of Space Exploration in China and the West" conference highlighted the multicultural dimensions of space, the importance of collaboration over competition, and the influence of cultural and religious narratives on space programs. Hosted by Professor James Miller, co-director of the Humanities Research Center at Duke Kunshan University, and Professor Ben Van Overmeire, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, the conference welcomed scholars and researchers for three days of insightful interdisciplinary panels and thought-provoking keynotes. You can read more here @ bit.ly/3zr6ZMI #DukeKunshan #GlobalEducation #astroculture #SpaceExploration #InterdisciplinaryStudies

Globalistics and #Globalization Studies: Big #History & Global History by Joseph Voros, Andrey Korotayev This yearbook is the fourth in the series with the title "Globalistics and Globalization Studies". The subtitle of the present volume is "Global History & Big History". The point is that today our global world really demands global knowledge. Thus, there are a few actively developing multidisciplinary approaches and integral disciplines among which one can name Global Studies, Global History and Big History. They all provide a connection between the past, present, and future. Big History with its vast and extremely heterogeneous field of research encompasses all the forms of existence and all timescales and brings together constantly updated information from the scientific disciplines and the humanities. Global History is transnational or world history which examines history from a global perspective, ... https://lnkd.in/eJrvQbBg

🌍 The Enduring Relevance of Face-to-Face Meetings in Today's Geopolitical Climate 🌍 As we navigate the complexities of a world marked by conflicts over geography, religion, and more, the insights from Thomas Trøst Hansen’s 2020 PhD research, titled ‘𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗔𝗰𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗺𝗶𝗰 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀: 𝗖𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝘀 𝗮𝗻 𝗔𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗲𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸’, underscore an enduring truth: the transformative power of face-to-face interactions. Hansen's study highlights how face-to-face academic events are critical not just for knowledge exchange but also for fostering mutual understanding and respect—key elements in healing global divides. ❤️🩹 In these spaces, real-time collaboration and personal exchanges go beyond the superficial, encouraging deeper connections and empathy among participants. Drawing from the insights of Hansen's PhD dissertation on the transformative power of face-to-face academic meetings, I argue that in today’s tense geopolitical atmosphere, prioritizing direct interactions is essential. 🕊️ These interactions go beyond professional development; they lay a foundation of trust and cooperation that, I believe, could lead to lasting peace and innovation. This approach is not just theoretically sound - it is a practical solution to global challenges. Let's leverage the timeless value of face-to-face meetings to foster a more unified, understanding world. Peace!✌️ Photo Credit: Courtesy of the Rights Holder #givepeaceachance #meetfyn #FaceToFace #ThomasTrøstHansen Destination Fyn Convention Bureau

Amid the complex landscape of Middle Eastern geopolitics, the interplay between international actors, media, and public opinion during major events reveals much about global perceptions. This work focuses on understanding these reactions and sheds light on the pervasive media biases, historical distortions, and polarized narratives that often obscure a true understanding of events. The aim is to offer a clearer perspective in an era where varying ideologies, agendas, and performative activism sometimes skew perceptions. Conducted under scholarly guidance, the research maintains academic rigor and objectivity, acknowledging the limitations inherent in such an endeavor. Please note that all information and news referenced in this work are up to date as of June 2024 and do not reflect developments that occurred afterward. The latter serves as a foundational step, with a more complex and comprehensive study to follow (in the near future), aiming to address broader implications and potential pathways forward. Special acknowledgment and deep respect are extended to Ms. Hagar Hajjar Chemali and Mr. Gilles Kepel for their invaluable insights and contributions. Recognition: Highest Honours Love,