Obama Institute Joins the American Studies Network 🗓

Obama Institute Joins the American Studies Network 🗓

General, News, Opportunities

The Obama Institute for Transnational American Studies proudly joins the American Studies Network as member institution. We are looking forward to participating in the network’s activities and encourage our students and faculty to keep an eye out for upcoming opportunities. Prof. Dr. Axel Schäfer was named as the Obama Institute’s representative to the ASN and will keep us connected to the other members.

Find out more about the network and its other members on their website americanstudiesnetwork.com.

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2024 for Programs in 2025/26 🗓

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2024 for Programs in 2025/26 🗓

Events, Exchange Programs, General, News, Opportunities

On Nov 6 the Obama Institute will hold an info session on its Direct Exchange programs. Please join us in room P 2 (Philosophicum) for more information about the exciting exchange opportunities!

Nov 6, 18:15-19:45
P 2 (Philosophicum)

Please find all details about the session on the flyer, which is available for download here and on the Exchange page, where you can also browse general information on the programs in order to get a headstart on what your options are and what an application would entail.

Looking forward to talking to you in person on Nov 6, when we will be happy to answer all your questions!

Anne Bull, Sandra Meerwein, Samira Deq, and Julia Velten

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2023 for Programs in 2024/25 🗓

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2023 for Programs in 2024/25 🗓

Events, Exchange Programs, General, News, Opportunities

On Nov 13 the Obama Institute will hold an info session on its Direct Exchange programs. Please join us in room P 2 (Philosophicum) for more information about the exciting exchange opportunities!

Nov 13, 18:15-19:45
P 2 (Philosophicum)

Please find all details about the session on the flyer, which is available for download here and on the Exchange page, where you can also browse general information on the programs in order to get a headstart on what your options are and what an application would entail.

Looking forward to talking to you in person on Nov 13, when we will be happy to answer all your questions!

Simge Büyükgümüş, Sandra Meerwein, Davina Höll, and Julia Velten

Juneteenth: OI Advisory Board Member Elizabeth West on CNN 🗓

Juneteenth: OI Advisory Board Member Elizabeth West on CNN 🗓

General, News

On June 19, 2023, Obama Institute Advisory Board Member Dr. Elizabeth West (Georgia State University) appeared on OneWorld CNN with Zain Asher:

Mar 21 – “Materialism and Consumption: Circulating Christian Love with American Things” Presentation and Chapter Discussion 🗓

Mar 21 – “Materialism and Consumption: Circulating Christian Love with American Things” Presentation and Chapter Discussion 🗓

General, Lectures, News

Prof. Hillary Kaell

(Anthropology/ Religious Studies, McGill University)

 

“Materialism and Consumption: Circulating Christian Love with American Things”

 

March 21, 2023, 3.00-4.30pm, 02.102 (Philo II, Jakob-Welder-Weg 20)

Please join us for a short presentation and discussion with Prof. Hillary Kaell (Anthropology/Religious Studies, McGill University) of the chapter “Materialism and Consumption: Circulating Christian Love with American Things” from her book Christian Globalism at Home: Child Sponsorship in the United States (Princeton University Press, 2020).

Materialism and Consumption: Circulating Christian Love with American Things

For two hundred years, Christians have run charitable projects to “sponsor” children abroad. Through these plans, individuals in the Global North—notably in the United States–send money to support an individual child in need. The popularity of these plans rested, in part, on how they offered donors what amounted to consumer choice: one could choose what type of child to support. However, by the 1970s Christian donors began to worry about their own “materialism” and its effects on child sponsorship. Based on my recent book Christian Globalism at Home (Princeton University Press, 2020), this presentation will explore the tight link between sponsorship and early forms of capitalism, along with the “anti-materialist” tactics that sponsors use to soften the ambivalence inherent in this form of global charitable giving.

If you’re interested in reading the chapter, please send an e-mail to Dr. Anja-Maria Bassimir.

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2022 for Programs in 2023/24 🗓

Direct Exchange – Info Sessions 2022 for Programs in 2023/24 🗓

Events, Exchange Programs, General, News, Opportunities

On Nov 10 the Obama Institute will hold an info session on its Direct Exchange programs. Please join us in room P 11 (Philosophicum) for more information about the exciting exchange opportunities!

Nov 10, 18:00-20:00 (s.t.)
P 11 (Philosophicum)

Please find all details about the session on the flyer, which is available for download here and on the Exchange page, where you can also browse general information on the programs in order to get a headstart on what your options are and what an application would entail.

Looking forward to talking to you in person on Nov 10, when we will be happy to answer all your questions!

Anne Bull, Simge Büyükgümüş, Nina Heydt, and Julia Velten