ENDOWED PROFESSORSHIP 2012And sometimes a ball hits the museum walls
African museums are no longer just repositories for dusty exhibits. Instead, they have become melting pots for society, where people discuss politics, continue their education, or play sports. Three experts discussed this development at the invitation of Gutenberg Endowed Professor Friedemann Schrenk.
ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTIONBronze head tells a tale of African culture and European plunderers
The Ethnographic Collection of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is tucked away in the basement of the Forum universitatis. The more than 3,200 objects not only tell the stories of foreign cultures but also reveal just as much about the culture of European collectors over the past century. Custodian Dr. Anna-Maria Brandstetter provides insight into this treasure trove.
A CAPPELLAEURO 2012 in their hearts, summer on their minds
Five students at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) are making a musical contribution to the European Football Championship 2012. As the a capella group So! ... und nicht anders, they sing about winning the championship and have made a quirky video that even professional footballers could learn from. In the interview, they talk about friendship, fans, and the art of making music simple.
INNOVATIVE TEACHING PROJECTFrom container ship to artwork
The light and sound installation "resonate" was a huge success at the Frankfurt Luminale. Approximately 2,000 visitors a day came to see the container ship transformed into a work of art. The project was made possible through a joint project of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) and Mainz University of Applied Sciences (MUAS). Students from the design faculty collaborated with Kaspar König of the School of Music.
POETRYOne poet, six translators
He is famed in Chile, yet rather unknown in Germany, although Raúl Zurita is one of the most important figures in Latin American literature. Six women – three students and three instructors – from the Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics, and Cultural Studies (FTSK) at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) have now opened a gateway to his writing for German readers: They translated selected works by the poet.
PLAGIARISMGerman ministers are not the only ones who have problems with plagiarism
On May 30th, the University Library (UB) of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) will be playing host to a conference with experts which is dedicated to a very topical subject: "Plagiate & Co – Wissenschaftliches Fehlverhalten ist (k)ein Kavaliersdelikt" ("Plagiarism and other transgressions – Academic misconduct is (not) a trivial offense"). Prior to this, UB director Dr. Andreas Brandtner talks about the nature of plagiarism and the objectives of the conference.
MUSICALSpring awakes with strong voice power
This June, the association Musical Inc. will be performing their version of the hit Broadway musical "Spring Awakening" on the campus of Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). A public rehearsal gave a foretaste.
LITERATUREWriting about 9/11
"Ground Zero Fiction: History, Memory, and Representation in the American 9/11 Novel" is a 500-page analysis of American novels dealing with the events of September 11 written by Birgit Däwes, Junior Professor of North American Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). The book has been awarded the American Studies Network Book Prize for 2012.
NIGERIAFrom war in Biafra to the conflict in the Niger Delta
Professor Edlyne Anugwom of the Department of Anthropology and African Studies at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU) is working on a project entitled "From Biafra to the Niger Delta Conflict: Memory, Ethnicity, and the State in Nigeria". We asked him to talk about his country, which is suffering not just from the current conflict but also, it seems, from denial of the past as well.
JGU ALUMNAUniversity and children go well together
To German TV viewers, she is better known as "Super Nanny". Katia Saalfrank got great ratings but also garnered a lot of criticism. Before commencing her TV career, she studied education at Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz (JGU). It was not easy for the mother of four children; she always had to work hard to combine looking after a family with her university course. At the invitation of the Office of Gender Affairs and Equal Opportunity, this graduate of JGU came to Mainz to speak about how she managed it.