Köpfe und Ideen 2025

Most people visiting the Wissenschaftskolleg, especially in early summer, will gain the impression of an idyllic or at least tranquil seclusion. That is indeed our intent – that Fellows should be able to focus on themselves, their work and each other while far removed from their usual cosmos. Yet each year’s constellation of scholars brings with it an array of geographic and disciplinary ancestries that help to inform the lively, contentious, and even fierce discussions of global politics and regional or national crises. So a visitor’s first impression of the Wissenschaftskolleg will not necessarily be an accurate reflection of the institute’s internal operations. It is fortunate for the Kolleg and all who sojourn here that it is a place of constructive critical exchange – that means agitation, wrangling, negotiating, and whenever possible: insight.