News
New Podcast: Book presentation and panel discussion with Dr. Agnes Bresselau von Bressensdorf and Prof. Dr. Heike Wieters on flight and humanitarian interventionism
At the Willy Brandt Foundation, Dr. Bresselau von Bressendorf presented her new work "A Question of World Order. Refugees and Humanitarian Interventionism in the Middle East 1979-1991." Prof. Dr. Heike Wieters and Dr. Bresselau von Bressendorf then discussed the topic. The discussion was moderated by Prof. Dr. Hermann Wentker. The book presentation and subsequent discussion are available in the podcast of the Foundation. Click here to listen to the podcast.
VHD working group on ‘Reading Didactics’ established
Heike Wieters and Felix Römer have initiated a new working group on ‘Reading Didactics’ within the german Association of Historians. The working group was established in the summer of 2025 and aims to provide a forum for exchange on the development of subject-specific reading didactics for the subject of history at universities.
The working group was launched as part of an interdisciplinary panel discussion during the 55th Historians' Day in Bonn. Based on widely shared observations about deficient or declining reading skills among students, reading researcher Simone Ehmig (Mainz), literary scholar Berenike Herrmann (Bielefeld), subject didactics expert Martin Schlutow (Münster) and ancient historian Michael Sommer (Oldenburg) discussed possible reasons, historical dynamics and, last but not least, conceivable solutions to the problems identified.
As the discussion on the panel and with the audience showed, reading complex academic texts can no longer be taken for granted as a skill among students today. The working group intends to address the question of how university teachers (also with regard to experiences and tools from related disciplines) can specifically promote the teaching of reading skills in history studies – without abandoning subject-specific content and standards – in the future.
Over the coming months, we intend to discuss four key areas: (1) how the current situation can be interpreted, classified and periodised from a historical perspective, (2) who the key stakeholders are within and outside the field of history, (3) what (subject-specific) offerings and ideas for curricular reform proposals already exist, or what tools and techniques could be adapted and used from related disciplines such as reading research or literary studies, and (4) what subject-specific reading promotion at history departments (which are increasingly subject to budget constraints) could look like in the future.
To this end, we want to bring together interested parties from various disciplines and jointly develop strategies for the sustainable improvement of student reading skills at universities.
The working group is currently being set up, here you can access the website. If you are interested, please contact the initiators of the working group, PD Dr Felix Römer and Jun-Prof. Dr Heike Wieters.
Contact
PD Dr Felix Römer
Humboldt University of Berlin
Institute for Historical Sciences
Chair of Social and Economic History
Email: fe.roemer(at)hu-berlin.de
Jun-Prof. Dr Heike Wieters
Humboldt University of Berlin
Institute for Historical Sciences
Junior Professorship for Historical European Studies
Email: wieterhx(at)hu-berlin.de
Invitation to a panel discussion:
Reading skills in historical studies
(Historikertag| 18.09. | 12:20 – 13:40| Uni Bonn, HS 3)
Heike Wieters and Felix Römer are organizing a panel discussion with colleagues from various disciplines on the topic of “Reading skills in historical studies.” The event marks the launch of the new VDH working group “Reading Didactics.”
https://www.historikertag.de/Bonn2025/programm/kick-off-des-neuen-ak-lesedidaktik/
According to recent studies and media reports, society is in the midst of a “reading crisis” (Die Zeit, 18/2025), which is seen as being linked to the ongoing digitalization process, among other things. In the field of history, there have been increasing observations of deficient or declining reading skills among students for some time now (e.g., by Lutz Raphael in the FAZ, March 31, 2024). However, reading skills are generally assumed in history degree programs at German universities, and there is currently little university teaching literature on teaching reading skills in history studies (cf. Verena von Wiczlinski, Lesen im geschichtswissenschaftlichen Studium, Frankfurt a.M. 2018). A new working group is now being set up within the VHD to develop recommendations for subject-specific reading didactics for the subject of history.
To introduce the new working group, the panel will bring together discussants from the fields of history didactics and subject-specific scholarship, reading research, and literary studies. First, the panel will take a critical look at the current state of reading skills and their role in higher education didactics at German universities. Secondly, the panel will explore possible perspectives and tasks for the new working group. Finally, the panel will also be open to questions from the audience. In addition to discussing the topic in depth, the event is also intended to serve as a networking opportunity for all VHD members who are interested in participating in the new working group.
Prof Dr Heike Wieters receives the 2023 Award for Excellence in Teaching
On Humboldt Teaching Day on 27 June 2024, Prof. Dr Heike Wieters and Prof. Dr Johannes Grandits received the 2023 Award for Good Teaching. They were honoured for their joint seminar ‘How to do European History? Current approaches and controversies’, which they held together with colleagues from various partner universities in a hybrid format in the summer semester 2023.
‘The theme of the 2023 Award for Good Teaching was ‘International Teaching and Learning’. A total of 100 nominators took part and nominated 42 courses and 38 lecturers. From this ‘long list’, the faculties recommended 19 proposals to the jury for consideration. The 10,000 euro award is one of the highest endowed prizes of its kind in Germany. ‘Heike Wieters and Hannes Grandits have successfully created an innovative, inclusive and interactive learning environment that not only enriches students with knowledge, but also encourages them to think critically, collaborate internationally and actively participate. Their ability to integrate a variety of perspectives and methodologies while providing a coherent and engaging learning experience is exemplary not only in the field of international teaching and learning,’ read Prof Dr Niels Pinkwart, Vice President for Teaching and Learning, in his laudation of the faculty's recommendation to the jury.’
You can read the full report on the award and the Teaching Day 2024 here (ger).
