Activities
Our activities bring together scholars from around the world to explore philosophical questions in their global, historical, and linguistic dimensions. Through interviews, lectures, and research talks, we engage with the plurality of philosophical traditions and their interrelations—from African and Asian philosophies to intercultural and comparative approaches. Each event contributes to our broader aim of rethinking philosophy as a globally entangled and polylogical practice.
For a better overview of our upcoming events, please have a look at our calendar.
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Forests and rivers are ecosystems that not only harbour extraordinary biodiversity but also function as powerful images and metaphors through which the relationship between humans and the environment is articulated and rethought. As entities that…
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Phenomenology did not begin with a doctrine but with a method: the epoché and phenomenological reduction. Husserl’s rallying invitation – Zu den Sachen selbst! – signalled not merely a theoretical shift but a transformation in how one lives,…
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This summer school investigates healing as a philosophical practice from interdisciplinary and intercultural perspectives. We will examine how philosophical traditions across societies, generations, and historical contexts have conceptualized and facilitated healing, particularly at the communal level.Human vulnerability…
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Egypt has laid the foundations of human civilization; everything originated there, including philosophy. As one of the oldest written cultures, Egypt provides the earliest evidence of philosophical thought. However, we lack a definition or introduction…
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In a recent Research Talk at our Center for Advanced Studies, Professor Kai Kresse, in cooperation with filmmaker Najeeb Ahmad and anthropologist Kadara Swaleh, explored the rich intellectual world of Swahili poetry as a medium…
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In his lecture on the “History of the Kenyan Philosophy Journal Thought and Practice,” Oriare Nyarwath provides an insightful overview of the inception, evolution, and impact of the journal within the African philosophical landscape. Thought…
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Wrestling refers both to a physical activity and to the cognitive endeavour of wrestling with a problem or a difficulty. Philosophical texts in Wolof can be read from different angles. In this lecture, I take mbër, the…
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“Philosophizing in Lusophone Africa” is a series of events which focus on doing philosophy in African countries adopting Portuguese as their official language. Language influences how people do philosophy, its themes, concerns and quests. This…
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The following research talk with Prof. Rolf Elberfeld served as a follow-up to his previous lecture, “What is Philosophy, or, How to Philosophize?”, which was part of a double lecture on “What is Philosophy?” co-presented…
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Abraham Olivier, Professor of Philosophy at the University of Fort Hare, delivered a critical and reflective lecture on the history, role, and controversies surrounding the South African Journal of Philosophy (SJP) and its host, the Philosophical Society of Southern Africa (PSSA).…
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For most of the twentieth century, the debate about the production of knowledge in Africa centered on the colonial library and writings in European languages. There was little acknowledgment that a whole world of debate…
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In this interview, conducted by Abbed Kanoor, Prof. Ernest-Marie Mbonda discusses the longstanding and evolving relationship between the Catholic Church and African philosophy, particularly in Cameroon. He explains that modern African philosophy largely emerged from…
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The Center for Advanced Studies recently hosted a research discussion with Prof. Anke Graness as a continuation of the lecture “What is Philosophy? A Retrospective and a Perspective” co-presented with Prof. Rolf Elberfeld. The event…
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The GloPhi Center will host a poetry reading and discussion with the Nigerian poet Logan February. The event will take place at the outdoor seminary room of the Institute of Philosophy at the Cultural Campus…
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This collaborative lecture – between an esteemed Swahili poet and a German anthropologist/philosopher – shall introduce the audience to the ways in which philosophical reflections have long been part of the vivid dynamic lifeworlds on…
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„Philosophie ist nicht nur in Europa zu finden“, das war ein Satz, den man im Wintersemester 2024/2025 bei der Eröffnungsveranstaltung der Kolleg-Forschungsgruppe „Philosophieren in einer globalisierten Welt – historische und systematische Perspektiven“ mehrfach hören konnte.…
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The Center for Advanced Studies hosted a research discussion with Prof. Wilfred Lajul (University of Gulu, Uganda), following his lecture on The Relevance of Proverbs in African Philosophy. Moderated by Anke Graness, the conversation focused on…
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In this lecture, delivered at the international workshop “Places of African Philosophies,” Romuald Fonkoua presents a comprehensive intellectual history of the influential journal and publishing house Présence Africaine, founded in 1947 by Alioune Diop. Fonkoua organizes his…
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In many areas of philosophy today, English appears to have become the dominant language. This obscures the fact that philosophy continues to be practiced in a variety of languages around the world. This lecture argues…
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Storytelling has played a crucial role in philosophy and the articulation of philosophical perspectives from the beginning. Philosophers have used various forms of stories to express and communicate their ideas, these include narrative models such…
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Philosophy, as a human inclination, is as old as human beings on Mother Earth. It is thus pluriversal. As an academic discipline, it remains a contested terrain, especially since colonization by the West and the…
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The mutual influence of language and philosophizing has been a topic of debate for centuries. Do languages determine how we think? Do certain languages suggest certain thought constellations? Is translation a universal language? To this…
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As part of her seminar “Philosophical Debate Culture: Past and Present, Theory and Praxis,” Professor Katrin Wille (Associate Member and Professor of Philosophy) recently organized a public debate event in collaboration with students at the Center for…
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As part of our ongoing efforts to document and reflect on key voices in African philosophy, we were pleased to host Prof. Wilfred Lajul (Gulu University, Uganda) for a wide-ranging interview during his recent visit…
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Ivorian philosopher, poet, and novelist Tanella Boni was recently invited to the GloPhi Center for an in-depth research talk that ranged across literary form, linguistic diversity, oral traditions, publication challenges, and the broader socio-political conditions…
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In this lecture, Professor Janz explores two strands of his longstanding research on place: the philosophical inquiry into philosophy in place, particularly within the context of African philosophy, and his broader interdisciplinary work on the conceptual…
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Die taz widmet sich in einem aktuellen Beitrag der Arbeit der DFG geförderten Kolleg-Forschungsgruppe „Philosophieren in einer globalisierten Welt – Historische und systematische Perspektiven“, die seit Herbst 2024 am Institut für Philosophie der Universität Hildesheim angesiedelt ist. Der Artikel mit dem Titel „Wider…
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The first edition of the Fujairah Winter School in Intercultural Philosophy, held at the Philosophy House in Fujairah (UAE) from February 14 to 20, 2025, brought together scholars and students from diverse cultural backgrounds to engage…
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During her visit to Hildesheim, Professor Tanella Boni shared insights into her academic journey, the influence of various philosophical traditions on her work, and the relationship between philosophy and literature. Her interest in philosophy began…
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The multifaceted landscape of contemporary African philosophies represents diverse viewpoints on the nature, origin, characteristics and history of philosophies that can be categorized as African. This lively discourse reflects the rich linguistic and cultural context…
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The Center for Advanced Studies in Philosophy recently hosted a Research Talk with Dr. Lars Leeten, who explored the intellectual and practical significance of skeptical philosophy based on his recent lecture on “Skeptical Philosophizing.” His…
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What is Philosophy?A Retrospective and a Perspective Lecture by Anke Graness and Rolf Elberfeld (Hildesheim University) February 6, 2025, 6 p.m.Universität Hildesheim, Hörsaal 2 and Live Stream Lecture Series: What is Philosophy? A Critical Polylogue…
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Abbed Kanoor recently delivered a thought-provoking lecture on the Cameroonian philosopher Fabien Eboussi Boulaga, whose critical engagement with African philosophy offers valuable insights into the complexities of ethnophilosophy, collective self-consciousness, and the philosophy of spatiality. In the Research…
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The lecture explores the use and benefits of proverbs in engaging with African philosophy. The main argument presented is that, while other authors, like Odera Oruka, dwell on uninfluenced elders in Africa to extract philosophical wisdom…
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The research talk with Sool Park explored the concept of “border language” (Grenzsprache) that he employed it in his lecture (Un)übersetzbar: Was ist die Sprache der Philosophie? [(In)translatable: What is the Language of Philosophy?] and…
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League of African Women PhilosophersFirst Anniversary Conference 2025 January 24–25, 2025Online via Zoom Keynote Speakers Program Organization Dr. Abosede Priscilla Ipadeolaipadeola[at]uni-hildesheim.de https://leagueofafricanwomenphilosophers.org/
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The conversation first turned to El Nabolsy’s comparative research on the Egyptian scholar Rifa’a al-Tahtawi and the Ghanaian scholar Africanus Horton. El Nabolsy was primarily interested in their conceptions of science and history. Both scholars…
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We don’t know where philosophy begins or ends. Nor do we know the boundaries of poetry—its limits or the threats it faces. Yet we can start with the hypothesis that these two approaches to the…
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The academic discipline of philosophy is still defined by a Eurocentric framework that excludes vast regions of the globe and their respective philosophical traditions and actors from participating in mainstream discourses and being represented in…
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Today, philosophical scepticism is primarily understood as an epistemological position characterized by doubt about the possibility of knowledge. This view is associated above all with Descartes, who radicalizes scepticism to such an extent that ultimately…
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In a thought-provoking research talk, Dr. Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola explored the intricate relationship between African feminism, care ethics, and cultural practices, particularly focusing on women’s agency within traditional caregiving roles. Her discussion illuminated the nuanced…
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As a contribution to our polylogue with African philosophers, I dedicate my lecture to the Cameroonian philosopher Fabien Eboussi Boulaga (1934–2018). In three phases of his thought, we find different but interconnected cores: 1) The…
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The first International Conference on Therapeutic Philosophy in Global Perspectives, organized in cooperation with the Institut für Philosophie of the University of Hildesheim and the Munich School of Philosophy is meant to mark the inauguration…
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Philosophieren ist ein globales und als solches mehrsprachiges Phänomen. Vor dem Hintergrund der faktischen Mehrsprachigkeit des Philosophierens antworte ich auf die Frage der Ringvorlesung „Was ist Philosophie?” mit einer Gegenfrage: Was wird eigentlich übersetzt, wenn…
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Prof. Tilman Borsche’s research talk explored central questions of philosophy and its practice, focusing on the interplay between language, thinking, and community, while addressing challenges in modern academia and intercultural philosophy. Borsche emphasized the essence…
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In his lecture “Was konnte, kann und könnte ‘philosophieren’ heißen und bedeuten?” [“What can and could ‘philosophizing’ mean and signify?”], Prof. Tilman Borsche reflects on the evolution of academic philosophy in Germany over the past…
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The interview with philosopher Yaovi Akakpo explored various themes at the intersection of philosophy, science, language, and traditional knowledge, particularly within African contexts. Akakpo highlighted the widespread ignorance of manuscripts in the study of philosophy…
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Philosophies of Africa and the Ueberweg History of Philosophy Workshop, December 4–6, 2024 The workshop “Philosophies of Africa and the Ueberweg History of Philosophy” was an in-depth and collaborative effort to structure a groundbreaking series…
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Rethinking Philosophy: Justice, Language, and Inclusivity Across African and Caribbean Traditions Research Talk with Edwin Etieyibo and Hanétha Vété-Congolo-Leibnitz Philosophy as Rooted in Concrete Experiences The discussions emphasized the significance of concrete experiences in philosophical…
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An African-Caribbean Dialogue on Philosophy Hanétha Vété-Congolo-LeibnitzEdwin Etieyibo December 5, 2024Universität Hildesheim, Hörsaal 2 and Live-Stream Series: What is Philosophy? A Critical Polylogue with Philosophers from Africa Summary The “African-Caribbean Dialogue on Philosophy,” led by…
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Feminist African Philosophy: New Issues and Perspectives Lecture by Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola November 28, 2024Hildesheim University, Hörsaal 2 and Livestream Series: What is Philosophy? A Critical Polylogue with Philosophers from Africa Summary Abosede Priscilla Ipadeola’s…
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Philosophy as an “Art of Relationships” Research Talk with Andreas Hetzel on Interdisciplinary Dialogue, Responsibility, and Relationality Our research talk with Andreas Hetzel explored a variety of philosophical themes. Prof. Hetzel emphasized that philosophy relies…
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Philosophie als „Arbeit an einem selbst“ und an Beziehungen zu anderen Lecture by Andreas Hetzel (Universität Hildesheim) November 21, 2024, 6 p.m. (CET)Universität Hildesheim, Hörsaal 2 and Live Stream Series:What is Philosophy? A Critical Polylogue…