Past events
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The concept of the “modern” family is a central element of European self-description. Accordingly, in Europe, kinship is in decline and largely replaced by an emotionalized (nuclear or core) family, which carries little political significance. This self-image contrasts with an external perspective that assumes the persistence, even dominance, of “traditional” kinship in the past or outside of Europe. The economic and political implications of kinship organization in Europe are thus often overlooked. Moreover, this narrative of progress can lead to a devaluing of other forms of cohabitation. When it comes to family care, however, an ambivalent perspective arises. In Europe, care is perceived as requiring state support, while in other parts of the world, it seems to remain intact. “Proper” care within families thus becomes a marker of political belonging. In my lecture, I will explore both the political significance of kinship in Germany and the forms of exclusion that arise from a specific understanding of kinship care.

Participants

Tatjana Thelen is a social anthropologist teaching at the University of Vienna. After studying in Cologne, she earned her doctorate at the Free University of Berlin and habilitated at Martin Luther University Halle/Wittenberg. Her academic career includes positions at the Max Planck Institute for Social Anthropology as well as at the universities of Zurich and Bayreuth. In 2023, she taught at Stanford, and from 2020 to 2021, she was a fellow at the Institute for Advanced Study in Paris. Her research topics include care, the state, and kinship. She has conducted fieldwork in Hungary, Romania, Serbia, and Germany.

This lecture is part of the “Beziehungsweise Familie” lecture series, which is the prelude to the Humboldt Forum’s program year for 2025-26, under the same title.

The lecture series is being held as part of a collaboration between all institutions of the Humboldt Forum.

Head Curator for the Programme year 2025-26: Dr. Laura Goldenbaum

Stiftung Humboldt Forum im Berliner Schloss (SHF)
Staatliche Museen zu Berlin (SMB)
Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin (HU)
Stiftung Stadtmuseum Berlin (SSB)

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