All articles
-
| FocusThe case of the suicidal petty criminal
by
A glimpse into research Our fellows’ favourite sources During their fellowship at the Käte Hamburger Kolleg, the researchers work on a project of their own choice related to the Kolleg’s topic. Sometimes a single source…
-
“What happens when a traditional, estate-based society confronts modern egalitarian ideals?”
by
Interview with Aleksandra Oniszczuk about the legal patchwork in the Duchy of Warsaw The Duchy of Warsaw (1807–1815) was a short-lived state in Napoleonic Europe, where the transition from a feudal to a modern society…
-
Bringing research and theatre together
by
Der lange Fall des liederlichen Mönchs (The long fall of the dissolute monk) takes us back to the 16th century How do you portray early modern legal pluralism? For example, by working together with professional…
-
| FocusAgency against authorities
by
How individuals and groups use the law to their own advantage In 2025, we are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the German Peasants’ War, and the many exhibitions and conferences held on this occasion leave…
-
| FocusEngaging with Colonial Law from a Decolonial Perspective
by
The importance of acknowledging indigenous perspectives and working with local archives During EViR’s initial funding phase, several events examined the history of colonial law and the historical regimes of normativity that resulted from European conquest…
-
| FocusHow much activism can academia take?
by
Walther Schücking and an international law scholar’s struggle against war News from the United States and Europe currently shows that researchers who are socially and politically engaged are soon subjected to harsh criticism. Walther Schücking,…
-
| Focus
Agency against authorities
by
How individuals and groups use the law to their own advantage In 2025, we are celebrating the 500th anniversary of the German Peasants’ War, and the many exhibitions and conferences held on this occasion leave…
-
“Talking about the law with non-lawyers is a democratic challenge”
by
Interview with the new co-director Nora Markard Since June 2025, legal scholar Nora Markard has been the new co-director of the Käte Hamburger Kolleg ‘Legal Unity and Pluralism’. As an expert in international law, her…
-
Causes of Plurality in Law
by
Report on the third annual conference, 7–9 April 2025 The third annual conference of the Käte Hamburger Kolleg focused on a question fundamental to both legal history and contemporary law: what are the causes of…
-
“Taking local beliefs into account was key for trade contacts”
by
Interview with Matthias Bähr on the global trade in human remains Debates on restitution have led in recent years to increased media attention on the human remains held in German collections since the colonial era…
