Institute for Ethnology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz

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The Institute for Ethnology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz is an interdisciplinary institution that is characterized by a wide range of teaching and research activities. The particular interest of teaching and research at the institute is contemporary Africa. With the Archive for the Music of Africa (AMA), the institute has a collection of modern African music that is unique in Germany. The Jahn Library for African Literatures, which houses literary works in over 80 African languages, is also of great international importance.

tasks

The Institute for Ethnology and African Studies was founded in 1946 when the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz was re-established as the Institute for Ethnology . It was renamed the Institute for Ethnology in 1969 and the Institute for Ethnology and African Studies in 1975 .

The institute covers a wide range of ethnological fields of activity in both research and teaching. These range from political, religious, social, media and economic ethnology to migration and diaspora research to research into ethnology and development, ethnicity and colonialism , music, popular culture and aesthetics as well as African literatures and languages. Great emphasis is placed on working with African colleagues, without whom African studies are no longer conceivable today. This means, on the one hand, the regular presence of African guest lecturers, doctoral students and students at the institute and, on the other hand, field research, lecture tours and teaching stays by institute members in the African partner countries. Research and teaching are closely linked and advanced students are involved in research projects.

courses

The following courses are offered:

  • the Bachelor's degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology (as a major or minor) with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • the master's degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology with a Master of Arts degree in Social and Cultural Anthropology
  • the master's degree in linguistics with a focus on African studies
  • the degree Dr. phil. in ethnology
  • the degree Dr. phil. in African Philology (African Studies).

Collections for research and teaching

Three unique and internationally renowned collections for research and teaching are associated with the institute:

  • the archive for the music of Africa : contains a collection of modern African music, unique in Germany, on sound carriers of various formats (shellac and vinyl records, audio and video cassettes, CDs and DVDs). The current holdings of the archive are approx. 10,000 sound carriers, some of which go back to the 1940s. Regional focal points are Ethiopia, Ghana, Cameroon, Congo (ex-Zaire), Kenya, Nigeria and Tanzania. In addition, there are more or less representative holdings from almost all countries in sub-Saharan Africa in the collection, which is still being built up through regular purchases. Several thousand newspaper clippings are stored in the clippings collection sorted by country, musical style and musician. The articles, reports, interviews, record reviews, etc. offer a rich pool of background material that can be viewed on site.
  • the Jahn library for African literatures : emerged from Janheinz Jahn's personal library , it houses a unique collection of literary works in over eighty languages, including the former colonial languages ​​as well as a very large number of African languages. In addition to classics from the various literary traditions of Africa, the collection includes contemporary literature by internationally renowned African authors, but also numerous lesser-known, locally produced works, translations, comics, film adaptations and audio books. The collection is supplemented by extensive secondary literature and magazines.
  • The Ethnographic Study Collection : Preserves around 2,800 objects, most of which come from Central and West Africa, as well as Australia, Papua New Guinea and other parts of Oceania. The items in the diverse collection represent a wide range of activities ranging from religious practices to hunting and warfare to music and household chores. It is the only collection of its kind in Rhineland-Palatinate and one of the largest university collections at Mainz University. Many objects came to Europe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. They are therefore historical objects that refer to past lifeworlds and at the same time tell of their appropriation in Europe in the context of the colonial conquest of Africa or Oceania. The stored ethnographic collection is designed as a teaching and research collection. The collection is made accessible to a wider public through exhibitions, loans and participation in exhibitions. After consultation with the curator Dr. Anna-Maria Brandstetter can also take a tour.

Professors since 1946

University professors

Honorary and non-scheduled professors, substitute professorships

  • Eugen L. Rapp (1946–1972)
  • Alfons M. Duration (1976–1991)
  • Klaus-Peter Köpping (1982-1983)
  • Josef Gugler (1983–1984)
  • Rupert Moser (1983–1984)
  • Gerhard Hauck (1984–1985, 1994–1997, 1998–1999)
  • Gerhard Kubik (1986–1987, 1996, 1997, 1998–1999)
  • Stephen Tyler (1987)
  • Bernhard Streck (1987–1988; 1990–1992)
  • Hartmut Zinser (1989–1990)
  • Heike Behrend (1992–1993)
  • Hans-Jürgen Hildebrand (1996–1997)
  • Susanne Schröter (1999–2000)
  • Judith Schlehe (2000)
  • Alexander Henn (2001-2002)
  • Pierre-Yves Le Meur (2002-2003)
  • Katja Werthmann (2003-2004)
  • Paul Drechsel (2006-2008)
  • Nikolaus Schareika (2007-2008)
  • Ute Röschenthaler (since 2009)
  • Helmut Asche (since 2011)

Habilitations

Publications

As editor, the institute is responsible for the scientific series of publications in Mainz Africa Studies and Mainz ethnological works , published by Reimer in Berlin, as well as for the Mainz articles on Africa research . A series of electronic working papers are also being issued.

literature

  • Anna-Maria Brandstetter, Carola Lentz: 60 years of the Institute for Ethnology and African Studies: A birthday book. Rüdiger Köppe, Cologne 2006, ISBN 3896458140

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. The "Bongo flava" sounds in the cellar. Ethnology University Institute has a unique archive . In: Allgemeine Zeitung . May 24, 2012.
  2. Literature beyond clichés and drawers on the homepage of the University of Mainz. Retrieved July 17, 2018.
  3. History of Social Anthropology at the Institute , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, December 30, 2014, accessed on May 4, 2016
  4. "Contributing to Objectification" - Racism Controversy. Institute for Ethnology explains its position / As a branch of research, it deals with its own colonial past . In: Allgemeine Zeitung . April 13, 2015.
  5. Courses offered at the Institute for Social Anthropology and African Studies , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, June 26, 2015, accessed on May 4, 2016
  6. Archive for the Music of Africa (AMA) , Archive for the Music of Africa at the Institute for Ethnology and African Studies, April 20, 2016
  7. Africa can be heard in Mainz. Uni-Archiv documents the development of modern African music . In: Saarbrücker Zeitung . Saarbrücker Zeitung from February 11, 2012.
  8. Andrea Löbbecke: Africa in the Mainz cellar. Reggae from the Ivory Coast or Highlife from Ghana: In the “Archive for the Music of Africa” researchers and students can immerse themselves in the sound world of the continent . In: Südwest Presse . February 9, 2012, p. 26 .
  9. Jahn Library for African Literatures , Jahn Library for African Literatures at the Institute for Ethnology and African Studies, March 9, 2016
  10. Literature beyond clichés and drawers. Retrieved February 20, 2020 .
  11. Ethnographic Study Collection , Institute for Ethnology and African Studies, April 29, 2016
  12. a b Professorships , Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, February 18, 2015, accessed on May 4, 2016
  13. ^ Mainzer contributions to Africa research (Rüdiger Köppe Verlag, Cologne). Retrieved July 17, 2018.