The organisers of "Talks with taste" invite you to lectures, interviews and panel discussions with scientists from Germany and abroad. "Science means openness, curiosity and mutual inspiration. By engaging with different perspectives on topics, we learn to understand each other better and to network effectively," explains initiator apl. Prof. Dr Carmen Ulrich from the School of Humanities.

All three events take place on Wednesdays from 12 noon to 2 p.m. in the Church at the University, Gaußstraße 4. Everyone who would like to take part in the exchange is welcome.

Please register at ulrich[at]uni-wuppertal.de. Snacks and drinks will be provided.

The dates and topics in the winter semester 2025/26

12 November 2025 (event language English): "Irish Masculinities after Independence"

Dr Loic Wright, visiting professor from Ireland, and Prof Dr Katharina Rennhak from Irish Studies at the University of Wuppertal will talk about how masculinity was constructed and regulated in Ireland after centuries of colonial oppression. They will discuss topics such as drinking culture, public service employment, same-sex relationships and the role of violence in defining masculinity. Their dialogue offers new insights into the intersection of gender, nation-building and cultural memory in modern Ireland and reflections on recent developments in the field of masculinity studies.

26 November 2025 (event language German): "The White House and Universities: What does Trump's second term mean for studying abroad in the US?"

The USA is an important partner for Germany in the areas of study, research and academic exchange. The question currently arises as to what extent the changes in the political environment will affect or even impair long-standing university cooperation. Prof Dr Birgit Spengler, Prof. Dr David Gerlach and Dr Bettina Hofmann, experts in American Studies at the University of Wuppertal, will discuss whether study and research visits are still possible and advisable with moderator Carmen Ulrich.

10 December 2025 (event language English): Editing a War Time Diary: Isy's Diary

In a panel discussion, Christoph Heyl, Professor of British Literature and Culture at the University of Duisburg-Essen, and London-based writer Richard Aronowitz will shed light on everyday life in a Nazi labour camp and the cultural memory of the second and third generation of Holocaust survivors.

The discussion is based on the diary of Isy Aronowitz, who grew up in a Jewish family in Wuppertal and was deported in 1938 at the age of 25. He recorded his time in two labour camps in his diary. Christoph Heyl has now published an edition of the entire diary with a foreword by Isy's great-nephew, Richard Aronowitz. As guests at "Talks with taste", the two will take the event participants on a journey through the history of the Aronowitz family. Dr Bettina Hofmann (BUW) will introduce and moderate the event.