With the Global Financial Crisis of 2007/08, the Covid-19 pandemic, and the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the opening decades of the 21st century has already been a period of global crises. While these crises emerged out of different spheres of human activity, they have demonstrated the transnational economic, political, and social interconnectedness of human societies, as well as the connections between the human and non-human worlds, and between the realms of ideas and physical existence. The philosophical traditions of South, East, and Southeast Asia know the metaphor of Indra’s Net to express the fundamental interconnectedness and interdependence of all existence. Inspired by this frame, the workshop Caught yet blind in Indra’s Net: Reflections on Interconnected Crises in the Late Capitalist Anthropocene explores holistic multispecies worldviews and critically connects recent theoretical debates to case studies in order to advance programs for achieving social and environmental justice. Details here

Ever since the Catholic mission to Japan in the 16th century, Christianity has upheld its presence in the Japanese society. While many churches such as the Japanese Lutheran Church are still connected to Christian (missionary) organisations overseas, there are a few Japanese (indigenous) churches founded by Christian intellectuals that aimed for an independent development of Japanese Christianity without the influence of Western actors. These independent churches are known for their history, their theological and intellectual approaches to Christian ethics and society. Based on on-going fieldwork in various Japanese congregations and inspired by the material turn, this talk by Dunja Sharbat focuses on the materiality of Japanese independent churches in present-day Japan. Considering the history and current situation of these churches, she will discuss their socio-spatial arrangements and compare it to other Japanese churches in order to analyse differences and similarities in their materiality. Details and registration here

Transnational research plays an essential role in global knowledge production. It also fosters mutual understanding and trust among the countries involved. This is especially true for transnational research in the social sciences and humanities, which explicitly aims at bridging and combining different national perspectives on issues of shared interest. On May 8-9, together with Sophia University Graduate School of Global Studies the DIJ will host the Max Weber Foundation conference ‘Transnational Research in a Multipolar World’ to discuss the impact of the growing geopolitical tensions on transnational research. Particular foci will be on the limitations to scientific research in autocratic regimes; the response of national research organizations and universities to these challenges; and, taking the example of gerontology and gender studies, the response of humanities and social science research to societal challenges. The second day will focus on Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the Indo-Pacific to explore common topics as well as new formats of transnational research against the background of ongoing geopolitical shifts. The conference will end with a keynote speech on world history made in Japan by Iokibe Kaoru (University of Tokyo). Details and registration here

The year 2022 marked the 160th anniversary of the birth and 100th anniversary of the death of Mori Ōgai, who is considered one of the greatest modern Japanese novelists. To celebrate both anniversaries, the International House of Japan Library, the Bibliothèque de la Maison franco-japonaise, and the Deutsches Institut für Japanstudien Bibliothek are displaying translations of Ōgai’s works and critical studies in English, French, and German. For more information on opening times and entry regulations, please contact our library. Details here