Students, researchers and staff of the University of Bremen all embark on a reading adventure together: This idea appealed to a group of students and their teachers so much that they decided to enter the competition "Eine Uni – ein Buch " initiated by the Stifterverband  and the Klaus Tschira Foundation in cooperation with the ZEIT publishing house. The task was to settle on a book that could be of interest to the entire University from different subject perspectives and that poses important societal and academically challenging questions. The team scored with its concept of "King Cotton. Eine Geschichte des globalen Kapitalismus" (King Cotton. A History of Global Capitalism) by Sven Beckert. The prize money of 5,000 euro will be used to implement the Bremen concept “Global Cotton: Eine Uni - Ein Buch - Eine Stadt”.

Cotton as a symbol for world trade and inequality

Sven Beckert vividly tells a global story of cotton. This history ranges from the integration of European cotton production in colonial times and the transatlantic slave trade to the establishment of global markets. “The book ‘King Cotton’ succeeds in making past and present connections between violence and inequality understandable today. Through varied reading events and lectures on campus and in the city, we want to reach a diverse mix of participants and discuss together how the plantations, looms and ports involved in cotton production interrelated. We are also interested in how the example of cotton can shed light on the functioning of modern-day globalization processes,” explains project manager Professor Michi Knecht. The central opening event for “Global Cotton: Eine Uni - Ein Buch - Eine Stadt” will take place on Monday, May 28, 6:00 pm (building GW2 room B3009). Author and historian Sven Beckert, who teaches at Harvard, will come to the University of Bremen to take part.

Out of the seminar rooms into the city

As a seaport and location of the cotton exchange, Bremen plays an important role in Sven Beckert's work. Just like the book, the project “Global Cotton: Eine Uni - Ein Buch - Eine Stadt” wants to demonstrate links by involving institutions and the people of Bremen. Cooperation partners include the "Überseemuseum", the German Maritime Museum, the city archives, and the "Zeitschrift der Straße". The planned formats include public events at locations related to the cotton trade, the production of a post-colonial city map, and a city tour on the subject of cotton.
“The book ‘King Cotton’ offers various opportunities to tap into contemporary political and social debates on capitalism and colonialism. In addition, it makes good reading and integrates well in Bremen’s tradition of research-based learning,” says Professor Thomas Hoffmeister, Vice President Academics at the University of Bremen. At the same time as the project, the Institute for Anthropology and Cultural Research is holding a theme semester on “Global Cotton”.

Reading action intends to create communication spaces

The initiative "Eine Uni – Ein Buch" aims to project the institution “university” as a social form and through the shared reading experience to create a creative exchange among as many university members as possible. Around 3,000 companies, business associations, foundations and private individuals have come together in the "Stifterverband für die Deutsche Wissenschaft".

Cooperation partners in the City State of Bremen

Bremer Baumwollbörse
Deutsches Schifffahrtsmuseum
Hafen-Museum Bremen
Kampagne für saubere Kleidung (CCC), Regionalgruppe Bremen
Landeszentrale für Politische Bildung, Bremen
Staatsarchiv Bremen
Überseemuseum Bremen
Zeitschrift der Straße

More information under:

www.uni-bremen.de/global-cotton-eine-uni-ein-buch-eine-stadt/
www.stifterverband.de

Attention editorial offices: Under this link you will find photo material:
https://seafile.zfn.uni-bremen.de/d/6219acdaef7c48b490d9/

If you would like to know more about this topic, feel free to contact:

Prof. Dr. Thomas Hoffmeister
Vice President Academics
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-60031
Email: kon2protect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

Prof. Dr. Michi Knecht
Institute for Anthropology and Cultural Research
University of Bremen
Phone: +49 421 218-67640
Email: knechtprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de