Annual Report 2010-11 Special Feature: Manisha Sinha: “James W.C. Pennington and Transatlantic Abolitionism“ Annual Report 2010-11 Imprint Editor: Additional Contributors: Detlef Junker Laura Stapane Daniel Silliman Editorial Staff: Christian Kempf Wilfried Mausbach Anja Schüler Heidelberg Center Coverdesign: for American Studies (HCA) Bernhard Pompeÿ Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais Hauptstraße 120 Layout: D-69117 Heidelberg Germany Christian Kempf T +49 6221 / 54 37 10 F +49 6221 / 54 37 19 [email protected] www.hca.uni-heidelberg.de © Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA) 2011. All rights reserved. The HCA Annual Report is published yearly and is available free of charge. ISSN 1862-1201 2 Contents Rector‘s Welcome ...................................................................................... 5 Additional Contributors: Preface ....................................................................................................... 6 Laura Stapane Daniel Silliman Heidelberg Center for American Studies Mission Statement ..................................................................................... 10 Benefactors of the HCA ............................................................................. 10 Organization .............................................................................................. 12 HCA Board of Trustees ............................................................................... 12 HCA Board of Directors ............................................................................. 18 Foundation and Development of the HCA ................................................. 21 The Curt und Heidemarie Engelhorn Palais ............................................... 24 People 2010-2011 ...................................................................................... 25 Cooperation and Support .......................................................................... 41 An Institute for Higher Education The Bachelor of Arts in American Studies (BAS) ....................................... 44 Coverdesign: BAS Outline ............................................................................................... 45 BAS Class of 2014 ...................................................................................... 46 Bernhard Pompeÿ The Master of Arts in American Studies (MAS) ......................................... 47 MAS Course Outline .................................................................................. 48 MAS Class of 2011...................................................................................... 62 Layout: MAS Commencement 2011........................................................................ 66 The MAS Class of 2012............................................................................... 70 Christian Kempf The MAS Class of 2013............................................................................... 72 MAS Social Activities ................................................................................. 72 A Center for Interdisciplinary Research Ph.D. in American Studies ......................................................................... 80 Ph.D. Candidates ....................................................................................... 83 Completed Ph.D.s....................................................................................... 103 Awarding of the Rolf Kentner Prize ........................................................... 104 HCA Research Projects .............................................................................. 105 Other Projects............................................................................................. 111 The HCA Spring Academy .......................................................................... 113 Conferences Think Tanks and Foundations in the Transatlantic World........... 123 Energy Policy and Energy Security.............................................. 124 Zeitenwende 9/11?...................................................................... 126 Religion and the Marketplace in the United States.................... 129 Bosch Archival Seminar ............................................................................. 134 Individual Research ....................................................................................137 Selected Publications .................................................................................140 Selected Talks ............................................................................................ 149 Jolanta and Soheyl Ghaemian Travel Fund for Scholars ............................ 157 Special Feature James W. C. Pennington Award President Obama Sends Message of Greetings..........................................160 Manisha Sinha “James W. C. Pennington and Transatlantic Abolitionism“.........................162 A Forum for Public Debate The Baden-Württemberg Seminar ............................................................. 178 Other Public Events at the HCA GHI Director Prof. Hartmut Berghoff at the HCA .......................187 HCA Book Launches .................................................................. 188 Ruperto Carola 625 Years .......................................................... 191 Exhibition: “The Civil Rights Struggle, African American G.I.s... 194 Media Coverage .........................................................................................195 HCA Announcements ................................................................................. 197 Rector‘s Welcome Dear reader, It is my great pleasure to acknowledge that the Heidelberg Center for American Studies (HCA) – a pillar of excellence of our alma mater – enriched our 625th anniversary with a multitude of impressive activities. These included a photo exhibition, the University Hour, the commencement speech by U.S. Ambassador Philip D. Murphy, the America Day, the University Mile, and the international conference “Religion and the Marketplace in the United States.” These events even got the attention of the White House. President Obama conveyed his greetings and his appreciation for the James W.C. Pennington Award, established by the HCA and the Faculty of The- ology of Heidelberg University. The HCA activities also attracted students, faculty, and the Heidelberg public alike and significantly contributed to enhancing our knowledge about American history, politics, culture, and society. Once more, the HCA remarkably illustrated its function as a transatlantic bridge builder. Since 1386, Germany’s oldest university has been a magnet for students from all over the world. When the first student from the United States enrolled in 1793, no one could have imagined that Ameri- can students would become an important part of the history of Heidelberg University. In 1931, they bestowed their biggest gift on the Ruperto Carola: The “Neue Universität” was built with funds that Jacob Gould Schurman, U.S. ambassador to Germany in the 1920s, had raised among his wealthy New York acquaintances. Eighty years later, Heidelberg Alumni U.S. contributed significantly to the renova- tion of Heidelberg’s “White House.” A number of them returned to their alma mater during the jubilee festivities and enjoyed a couple of receptions in the HCA’s courtyard. For many of the U.S. alumni, the Heidelberg Center for American Studies has become the face of our university on the other side of the Atlantic. Kindest regards, Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Bernhard Eitel, Rector of the University of Heidelberg 5 Preface Dear Friends and Benefactors, Students and Colleagues, At the HCA we have good reason to claim that the last academic year has been an annus mirabilis in the dynamic development and expansion of our center. Thanks to the sustained support of the State of Baden-Württemberg, Heidelberg University, and our generous benefactors, we were able to further institutionalize our multi-disciplinary mission and intensify our cooperation with several faculties and disciplines. Two new “bridge professors,” shared with the Department of Geography and the Faculty of Theology, respectively, were established at the HCA. Ulrike Gerhard was appointed Professor of Geography of North America, Jan Stievermann Professor of the History of Christianity in the United States. Günter Leypoldt, Professor of American Literature und Culture, signed a joint appointment with the HCA, thus following the 2009 decision of Manfred Berg, the Curt Engelhorn Chair of American History. Dietmar Schloss, Professor of American Literature, who has been a “bridge professor” since 2009, our senior lecturer in political science, PD Dr. Martin Thunert, whose position was tenured this year, lectur- ers Dr. Dorothea Fischer-Hornung and Dr. Steven Less have for years given substance to our mission of teaching American Studies at the HCA with a cross-disciplinary perspective and doing justice to the complexity of the object of our research – the United States. Three American guest professors—Ful- bright Prof. Kirsten Fischer, as well as our Ghaemian Scholars in Residence, Prof. Charles Postel and Prof. Patrick Roberts—have also contributed to the HCA’s sparkling intellectual climate. Full-time scholars at the HCA and members of our staff have been dedicated pillars of support: Dr. Wilfried Mausbach, Executive Director of the HCA, Dr. Tobias Endler, Iris Hahn-Santoro, M.A., Dr. Mischa Honeck, Christina Larenz, Anne Lübbers, M.A., Dr. Anja Schüler and Daniel Silliman, M.A. They were assisted