Institut für interdisziplinäre Konflikt- und Gewaltforschung

The asylum procedure in Germany: Risk factors for violence among young adult asylum seekers in collective accommodations

Date: 23.03.2023, 13:15-14:45 Uhr

Speaker: Ahmad AL Ajlan

Moderator: IKG

Language: English

Modus: External

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/94954144194?pwd=TTRneVlpUXo1NnI3N2Q4cVM5dVU1dz09

Description: According to statistics by the Bundesamt für Migration und Flüchtlinge (BAMF), every year hundreds of thousands of forced migrants enroll in the asylum procedure in Germany.  However, little attention has been paid by researchers to this decisive procedure on the lives of those people and in their future integration in the host society. For instance, this procedure is the first practical contact between the forced migrants and the host society that certainly impacts forced migrants’ comprehension of their hosts for a long time. In this presentation, I will shed light on questions, such as how the asylum procedure de-individualizes and deprives them off a normal life as adult people. Consequently, I will illustrate how it plays a role as a risk factor for violence in the forced migrants’ collective accommodations in Germany. The study applies the concept “total institutions”, which is derived from the famous study called Asylums by Erving Goffman.

Keywords: Asylum seekers, collective accommodations, total institutions, unhomely places, privacy, autonomy

Bio: Dr. Ahmad AL Ajlan is a Syrian-German sociologist. In his home country he held a chair as a lecturer in political sociology at AL Furat University before he was forced to leave due to the war in his country. He held scholarships from Volkswagen Foundation and Philipp Schwartz Initiative and was based as a post-doctoral researcher and lecturer at Bielefeld University (IKG). From April 2023 on he will be a visiting fellow at the Centre for Refugee Studies at Oxford University, UK. His work on different aspects of conflict and violence in the context of forced migration has been published in peer-reviewed journals including Nature Human Behaviour, Journal of Interpersonal Violence, and Journal of Refugee Studies.

This Forum is open to all interested colleagues. Please feel free to disseminate this announcement to your networks and relevant audiences.

The 4th interdisciplinary 24 Hours of Political Psychology Conference will take place in Bielefeld on March 9-10, 2023 with keynote addresses by Prof. Michał Bilewicz from University of Warsaw and Prof. Sabina Cehajic-Clancy from Stockholm University. The meeting will be on-site.

The deadline for the submissions is January 20, 2023. The conference is hosting researchers from various disciplines (psychology, political science, sociology, social and education sciences, history, etc.) to discuss their current research on political dynamics, sentiments, structures, and changes. Participation and presentation are open to researchers at all career stages who would like to present their political psychology relevant research. There will be no participation fee.

 

EVENT WEBSITE

You can find the website for the conference (program, registration, arrival information) here.

 

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The German Political Psychology Network invites scholars from various disciplines to the 4th meeting of 24 hours of Political Psychology at Bielefeld University on March 9-10th, 2023.

We encourage researchers from various disciplines (psychology, political science, sociology, social and education sciences, history, etc.) to discuss their current research on political dynamics, sentiments, structures, and changes.

In recent years, we have witnessed global crises such as pandemics, wars, and climate change. Crises enable us to see both the disadvantages, weaknesses, and insecurities of individuals and social groups in the face of uncertainty, as well as their strengths, resilience, and urge to look for opportunities for empowerment. As the local, national, and international political discourses yield the significance of securitization in response to rising insecurities, the envisages of peace, reconciliation, justice, equality, and coexistence with differences seem to be weakened in terms of their rhetorical power. Political psychology is an interdisciplinary field offering great research opportunities
within this context and contains many theories and methods to seek answers to questions on the subject at different levels. Realizing this great potential, the German Political Psychology Network offers an open scientific exchange and communication opportunity again and invites many researchers from different disciplines to present their work. There will be no participation fee.

The Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict & Violence (IKG) will organize the meeting this year at Bielefeld University. Participation and presentation are open to researchers at all career stages who would like to present their political psychology relevant research, including but not limited to the following themes:

• Societal and Intergroup Conflict
• Extremisms and Terrorism
• Peace Psychology
• Political Violence
• Intergroup Relations, International Relations
• Minorities, Human Rights
• Prejudices and Racism
• Personality Traits, Emotions, and Politics
• Political Behavior, Participation, and Civic Engagement
• Public Opinion and Political Communication
• Information Processing and Political Decisions Making
• Political Culture, Identity, Values, and Language
• Social Inequality, Social Change, and Civic Development
• Biology, Genetics, and Neuroscience
• Race, Gender, Ethnicity, and Religion
• New Theoretical and Methodological Developments

Please submit your max. 300-word abstracts to https://bit.ly/3W2Ou8e by January 20, 2023.

Organization Team: Elif Sandal Önal, Arin H. Ayanian, Aydın Bayad, Paulo Emilio Isenberg Lima, Jonas Rees
polpsy@uni-bielefeld.de
 

One Year of War – Remembrance & Questions About War and Peace

Date: 24.02.2023, 10:00-11:30 Uhr

Speaker: Dr. Iryna Hubeladze (Institute for Social & Political Psychology NAES, Kyiv, Ukraine) & Dr. Elif Sandal, Dr. Arin Ayanian, Marco Eden, Nico Mokros and Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick on interim results of BIEFrie (Bielefeld Peace Study)

Moderator: IKG

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/69188052662?pwd=dFc5eGx4OEZKdjhWUDNOa1gyMjhVQT09

A year of the full scale war has passed; 365 days of unimaginable suffering. We, who mostly witness this suffering from the outside as researchers, seekers of knowledge, questioners, are deeply moved and at a loss before questions. The war, which began much earlier, plunges us into uncertainty, because the full extent is hardly comprehensible, and the developments are hardly understandable. The Peace & Conflict Talk (PaCT) is a forum for interested people who want to understand. We share our perspectives on the past and recent states and developments. The peace and conflict research community continues to strive for understanding. At this very special day of the 24th we have questions. How are the people in Ukraine? How are our colleagues? What has happened, what is happening, and what will happen? Can we find hope, can people in Ukraine hope? At our 6th PaCT we give space to our colleagues in Ukraine and hear how they are doing, what do they need, what moves them? To this end, we have invited our colleague Iryna, who will provide insights on the anniversary. In addition, we will briefly look at the question of how peace concepts stood in Germany when the full scale war began, based on the Bielefeld Peace Study.

Take Note: The event is poss. recorded for internal purposes (follow-up, text selection for interviews). Verbal contributions will not be disseminated without consent.

Radicalization and Space: Neighborhood effects on the susceptibility for radicalization

Date: 02.02.2023, 13:15-14:45 Uhr

Speaker: Armin Küchler

Moderator: IKG

Language: English

Modus: External

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/94954144194?pwd=TTRneVlpUXo1NnI3N2Q4cVM5dVU1dz09

Description: The objective of the project “Radicalization and Space” is to assess whether spatial constellations play a role in relation to the susceptibility to radicalization processes with a focus on radicalization such as Islamism. The overall project objective is to interlink the qualitative as well as the quantitative investigation of neighborhood effects with a strategy of spatial orientated prevention. To provide substantial quantitative empirical evidence, we conducted 2,100 standardized interviews in three German cities in a mixed mode design. The questionnaire was made available in various languages with the goal to accomplish an overall of around 8,000 interviews. The randomized samples were stratified by census tracts to reveal potential differences on the neighborhood level and implemented a new composited measure which we call “susceptibility for radicalization”. Additionally, we conducted a German wide survey which is representative for the German population (n=2,000). To test our contextual hypotheses, we applied multilevel modeling to account for the hierarchical data structure within each city. In this presentation, initial results from the first study city Dortmund will be presented and discussed.

Further information about the study are at the website www.radikaliserende-raume.de. The collaborative research project “Radicalization and Space” is funded by the BMBF (2020-2024) and based in the Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence of the University Bielefeld (IKG) and the Department of Social Work of the University of Applied Sciences Münster (FH Münster).

Bio: Armin Küchler studied Political Science and Sociology at the University of Bielefeld and holds a Master's degree in Political Sociology. Additionally, he is a Ph.D. candidate at the Bielefeld Grad School for History and Sociology (BGHS) as well as a research associate in the project "Radicalization and Spaces" and other projects at FH Münster. His research focus is in the field of radicalization and extremism research, but also more generally in dynamics of populism. In this project, he is responsible for the quantitative data collection and analysis.

This Forum is open to all interested colleagues. Please feel free to disseminate this announcement to your networks and relevant audiences.

Gelingensbedingungen rassismussensibler Lehrer:innenbildung. Eine rassismustheoretische Untersuchung von Studium, Referendariat und Berufseinstieg

Date: 12.01.2023, 13:15-14:45 Uhr

Speaker: Natascha Khakpour & Saphira Shure

Moderator: Zeynep Demir

Language: German

Modus: External

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/94954144194?pwd=TTRneVlpUXo1NnI3N2Q4cVM5dVU1dz09

Description: Im Rahmen der Nachwuchsgruppe werden verschiedene Phasen der Lehrer:innenbildung im Hinblick auf strukturelle Bedingungen sowie mit Bezug auf die Erfahrungen und professionellen Selbstverständnisse von Adressat:innen (Studierende, Referendar:innen und Berufseinsteiger:innen), die im Kontext von Rassismus unterschiedlich positioniert sind, rassismustheoretisch untersucht. Dies geschieht mittels einer diskursanalytischen Dokumentenanalyse sowie der qualitativ-rekonstruktiven Analyse von berufsbiografischen und problemzentrierten Interviews. Um phasenübergreifende und prozessbezogene Erkenntnisse über die Lehrer:innenbildung zu gewinnen, ist die Studie in einem Längsschnittdesign angelegt. Ein zentrales Ziel ist die Rekonstruktion, Analyse und Theoretisierung von Bedingungen, die das Gelingen einer rassismussensiblen Lehrer:innenbildung tendenziell ermöglichen. Damit ist einerseits verbunden, herauszuarbeiten, wie es möglich ist, rassismussensible Perspektiven systematisch in die Lehrer:innenbildung einzubringen. Andererseits geht es darum, Ausschlussmechanismen für Lehrer:innen of Color (BIPoC) zu identifizieren und abbauen zu können.

Bios: Dr.in Natascha Khakpour ist mit 01/2023 Koordinatorin der BMBF-Nachwuchsgruppe zu Gelingensbedingungen rassismussensibler Lehrer:innenbildung an der Universität Bielefeld. Forschungsschwerpunkte: Gesellschaftskritische Zugänge zu (schulischer) Bildung, rassismus- und hegemonietheoretische Perspektiven, Sprach- und Sprechverhältnisse. natascha.khakpour@uni-bielefeld.de

Dr.in Saphira Shure ist mit 01/2023 Leitung der BMBF-Nachwuchsgruppe zu Gelingensbedingungen rassismussensibler Lehrer:innenbildung an der Universität Bielefeld und Juniorprofessorin für Erziehungswissenschaft mit dem Schwerpunkt Rassismus- und Differenzforschung. Forschungsschwerpunkte: Pädagogische Professionalisierung in migrationsgesellschaftlichen Verhältnissen, Rassismus- und Differenztheorie, Postkoloniale Perspektiven auf Bildung. saphira.shure@uni-bielefeld.de

This Forum is open to all interested colleagues. Please feel free to disseminate this announcement to your networks and relevant audiences.

Relational Mechanisms of Radicalization in the Revolutionary Left in Iran and Turkey during the 1970s and their Impact on the Experiences of Activist Women

Date: 01.12.2022, 13:15-14:45 Uhr

Speaker: Sevil Çakır Kılınçoğlu

Moderator: Aydın Bayad

Language: English

Modus: External

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/94954144194?pwd=TTRneVlpUXo1NnI3N2Q4cVM5dVU1dz09

Description: The 1970s were marked both in Iran and Turkey by a process of radicalization of the revolutionary left, as was the case for many of their counterparts in other parts of the world. These processes of radicalization were characterized by a variety of mechanisms, such as contextual, relational, and cognitive, in each case and thereby distinguished them from each other despite all the recognizable similarities between them. Women participated in the revolutionary Leftist movements in great numbers in both countries and played significant roles, however, their experiences also varied. Based on the life history interviews I have conducted with the Iranian and Turkish women who were active in the ranks of revolutionary Leftist organizations and a comparative analysis of the two cases, I argue that the variety of mechanisms in the process of radicalization did not only influence the character of the movements but also the nature of women’s experiences in them.

Bio: Sevil Çakır Kılınçoğlu has a PhD in Middle Eastern studies, from Leiden University. Since 2020, she is a postdoc and lecturer at the Institute of Methods and Methodological Principals in Social Sciences at the University of Göttingen. She teaches courses on research methods, social movements, gender, and the Global South. Her research interests revolve around social and political activism, women’s movements in the Middle East, political violence, migration, and gender. She has published on various topics including activism in exile, Kurdish women’s political engagement, and women’s movements in Iran and Turkey. scakirk@uni-goettingen.de

This Forum is open to all interested colleagues. Please feel free to disseminate this announcement to your networks and relevant audiences.

Women - Life - Freedom

Date: 04.11.2022, 12:00-13:30 Uhr

Speaker: Azadeh Akbari (University of Twente) & Tabassom Fanaian (Independent Researcher)

Moderator: Dr. Arin Ayanian (Postdoctoral Researcher at the IKG) & Zeynep Demir (Chair of the Equality Commission at the Faculty of Educational Science)

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/66366524651?pwd=NnJIdTUrelIrV0tsRExHL1FISUYxQT09

On 16 September 2022, 22-year-old Jina Mahsa Amini was murdered in Tehran after being detained by the Iranian regime’s morality police for not complying with the strict government standards of the mandatory wearing of the hijab. The news of her death sparked outrage in the population of Iran, starting with women protesting the compulsory hijab laws and the treatment of women in general, but soon growing into nation wide protests of a revolutionary nature. International attention and solidarity started, too, resulting in social media campaigns and demonstrations – the latest being a protest in Berlin with an estimated 80.000 participants.

In an attempt to hinder the coordination of protests and international attention, the Iranian government shut down internet access and no longer allows independent/ foreign journalists into the country. This contributes to a confusing and incomplete knowledge of what is happening at the moment. However, news of the brutal treatment of protesters, many more deaths, and on 15 October, a fire in the Evin prison where political prisoners are held came to light through mainly social media information work of activists. The ongoing protests are being brutally responded to by the Iranian authorities. Despite the regime's efforts to block all the international communication, hundreds of people are reported to have been killed in the protests, including 16-year-old Nika Shakarami, who was filmed burning a hijab during the protests, went missing afterwards and was found dead. Despite the extreme repressive force used against the people, protests, strikes, and funerals for the killed are still happening.

Our Peace & Conflict Talk wants to not only include an academic view but also make room for activist perspectives and knowledge. Among further discussions, we propose the following questions: What do we know about the situation inside Iran right now? What dynamics led to the situation? What can emerge from them/what are the perspectives going forward? How to handle official state information from Iran’s government, especially regarding media coverage of the situation? In what way is this a “feminist” protest or more? Which groups are involved and how? What do the people of Iran need and want (also: from the West)? What can we do? What must political leaders do? How do activists deal with the risk that their work poses for them and their families?

Take Note: For privacy and security reasons there will be no recording of this PaCT-Meeting.

Date: 06.07.2022, 16:00-17:30 Uhr

Speaker: Assistant Prof. Dr. Tymofii Brik (Kyiv School of Ecnomics, Center for Sociological Research – Decentralization and Local Development Studies)

Moderator: Dr. Arin Ayanian (IKG at Bielefeld University)

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/63980542168?pwd=YVA1YjZmV2pNdFZiU3Q0bStmZEF0Zz09

The war in Ukraine continues with brute force. Forecasts on hoped-for periods of peace keep disappointing, also because Russia's actions and Russia's actions are becoming more and more uncertain. The uncertainties are increasing. At the same time, European societies are negotiating further strategies and conflicts and are moving closer together in parts.

In a joint exchange, the PaCT tries to determine how to assess the situation and opens up to pressing questions: What violence are we observing? What is the war and violence doing to Ukrainian society? Are there movements where a glimmer of peace shines through, or has everything become even more uncertain? Is a new order being constituted in Europe? The 4th PaCT has the great honour and pleasure to hear and speak to a colleague from Kiev, and expands the circle of hosts to include the Research Institute Societal Cohesion at Bielefeld University (FGZ).

Take Note: The event is poss. recorded for internal purposes (follow-up, text selection for interviews). Verbal contributions will not be disseminated without consent.

Date: 12.05.2022, 16:00-17:30 Uhr

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Christina Morina (Professor of General History with special emphasis on contemporary history at Bielefeld University) & Assistant Prof. Dr. Jens O. Zinn (T.R. Ashworth Associate Professor in Sociology, University of Melbourne/ Awardee of the Alexander of Humboldt Foundation)

Moderator: IKG

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/64945278443?pwd=M2JWNWphMjVtNXRHdFA3OGFtSjVpZz09

The war is on. It continues with merciless harshness. Increasingly, countries are deciding to supply heavy weapons, including Germany. Wars are banal in their violence and all the more uncertain in their course. Understanding the situation requires historical knowledge, because this war is set in motion from the beginning as a distorted history of memory. What can we learn about the present conflict and its possible policial and social ramifications when we look at it from a historical perspective?

Wars and armed conflicts increases also risks and alle the more we need to understand the societal risks and their dynamics. There is a blatant threat of World War 3 and at the same time the threat is instrumentalised. There can be no talk only of military risks, but of the comprehensive global social risks and uncertainties.

We want to come together again and exchange, try to understand, assess risks like history itself. The third PaCT is pleased to have two renowned researchers from history and sociology share her thoughts with us in order to continue the common debate on conflict and the possibilities of peace

Take Note: The event is poss. recorded for internal purposes (follow-up, text selection for interviews). Verbal contributions will not be disseminated without consent.

Date: 21.04.2022, 16:00-17:30 Uhr

Speaker: Prof. Dr. Tatiana Zimenkova (Vice-President for Internationalization and Diversity of HS Rhein-Waal, Sociologist) & comments by Prof. Dr. Beate Küpper (HS Niederrhein, Deputy Director of the Institute SO.CON, Social Psychologist)

Moderator: IKG

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/65614200561?pwd=NUd2WG1mMjRjUVFiazZ0ZEREN0JkUT09

The war in Ukraine continues. The conflict situations are increasing. There are disputes over the issues of arms deliveries, the possibilities of ceasefires and humanitarian aid. After the Easter marches of the peace movement, the pro-Russian demonstrations and heated debates about the right support for Ukraine's military preparedness, new conflict situations are emerging. In the process, many people are asking what Russia's government is doing, what it plans to do, what motivates it to go to war, what it wants, and whether it is even responsive. Uncertainty about Russia's actions, questions about how violations of human rights and the laws of war in Russia are understood, what drives Russia, are increasing.

Wars create maximal uncertainty, which can lead to paralyzing uncertainty. All the more we need time to be sure and to listen to those who do not have certainty, but knowledge. The second PaCT is pleased to have a renowned researcher share her thoughts with us in order to continue the common debate on conflict and the possibilities of peace. We continue the open debate, the exchange of knowledge but also questions that we have.

Take Note: The event is poss. recorded for internal purposes (follow-up, text selection for interviews). Verbal contributions will not be disseminated without consent.

Date: 24.03.2022, 13:00-14:30 Uhr

Speaker:

• M.A. Mariya Krutkova (Psychology/IKG, Bielefeld): A personal view of the situation.
• Prof. Dr. Andreas Vasilache (Political Science/IR, Bielefeld): The Russian invasion as historicist radicalization: What follows for the West?
• Prof. Dr. Ulrich Wagner (Social Psychology, Marburg): A letter to Putin - What we know and can convey.
• Prof. Dr. Herbert Wulf (requested, Sociology, Bonn/BICC): Dynamics of escalation and deescalation

Moderator: Dr. Kerstin Eppert & Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick (IKG, Bielefeld)

Language: English

Zoom Link: https://uni-bielefeld.zoom.us/j/95157736774?pwd=YUVkOHVTclhQTm04T3RwekU5TVpDdz09

It's war again in Europe. For almost a month Russian troops have been occupying Ukrainian territory, destroying infrastructure, apartments, houses. People are dying every day. Communication breaks down. Talking about peace seems almost cynical in the face of violence, and yet no alternative remains. If the muchvaunted "change of era" (Zeitenwende) is characterized solely by military solutions, then concepts of peace become obsolete. What has developed now bears the stamp of history, and that also means that the war will shape the future, the future of Ukraine, but also of Russia, Europe, and many other states.

Research and science, as we do it, cannot and should not be silent, especially not when only military expertise is talking. Peace, conflict, and violence research may have an attitude. In some statements this becomes clear. Peace research has concepts of peace, of peace solutions, of peacekeeping measures. What can we propose? How do we interpret the situation? We will not have a quick solution to the problem, but maybe we are interested in it, and to give a little time and space for an understanding of what is happening. That's the idea of this open meeting for all interested researchers who want to participate.

What is happening right now?

Where do we see causes of war, where ways at least to ceasefire?

What do we know about possible interventions?

These are questions we would like to discuss openly at the 1st Peace & Conflict Talk. Let’s take 90 minutes of mutual exchange and time to raise voice against the war and for peace.

Take Note: The event is recorded for internal purposes (follow-up, text selection for interviews). Verbal contributions will not be disseminated without consent.