We talked to TRA Manager Kim Alings, who gave some interesting insights into the TRA Present Pasts and its offers.
Could you share what you consider to be the most pressing topics or challenges currently addressed within the TRA?
The aim of TRA Present Pasts is to overcome Eurocentric historiography through the collaborative exploration of research on different geographical and temporal areas. It brings research on South and Central America, Africa, Asia and Europe into discussion and questions the boundaries of European research disciplines.
The TRA's research is centered on two core aspects - heritage and communication - and their diverse connections: Under the umbrella of communication and globalization, TRA Present Pasts researchers investigate phenomena such as social inequalities and dependency relationships, migration and mobility phenomena as well as other forms of power relations. The focus is particularly on premodern forms of communication in order to better understand their current manifestations in the context of globalization.
In the profile area heritage, researchers question Eurocentric discourses and practices of heritage. By analyzing the provenance and restitution of collections, hegemonic heritage discourses are deconstructed and colonial power relations are challenged. This focus develops a new approach to and understanding of heritage.
How many members are involved in the TRA and what subject areas do they represent?
Our TRA has more than 180 members from all disciplines involved in historical research – archaeologists, (art) historians, anthropologists, Catholic and Protestant theologians, philologists, philosophers, egyptologists etc. They cover a broad temporal and geographical spectrum from 10,000 BC to the present day, from America to Europe, Africa and Asia. Stakeholders of the university museums and collections are also part of our TRA, from the Botanical Gardens to the museums in P26, the new House of Knowledge and Research.
What makes the TRA particularly interesting for early-career researchers, and how might they benefit from being involved?
Even though young researchers usually specialize in one subject area at first, it can be extremely helpful to engage with other disciplines and methods and to exchange ideas with different societies and other forms of knowledge in order to view your own research from new perspectives. The TRA Present Pasts programs are generally open to researchers at all career stages.
The opportunity to transfer their research and teaching directly to society through exhibitions also provides our researchers with creative opportunities for knowledge generation and transfer. Our members from the university museums and collections are always open to working on new formats.
Furthermore, the TRA Present Pasts funds transdisciplinary projects and initiatives at all intersections of the TRA profile. Applications for funding can be submitted at any time. The TRA Present Pasts Steering Committee meets several times a year and decides on funding applications. The award is also dependent on the annual availability of funds, which is done through the Excellence Funds of the University of Bonn.
An application can be submitted by any member of the TRA Present Pasts with a PhD. Doctoral students who are members of the TRA Present Pasts may submit a joint application with a PhD member of the TRA.
If early-career researchers would like to learn more about the TRA and how to join, when and where can they meet you directly?
Check our website regularly for our digital notice board, where we announce events organized by our members and TRA-funded projects, or send me a membership application to stay up to date on activities in the TRA Present Pasts via newsletters and informational emails. You can find the membership application on our website.