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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
University supports Professor Dr. Maisha M. Auma against racist attacks
Technische Universität Berlin is committed to supporting and promoting the diversity of its members, protecting them from every form of discrimination, and preventing both structural racism and sexism. This is what we stand for and what we are striving to achieve by making these goals integral parts of our long-term strategy.
This includes speaking out when a member of our academic community is personally subjected to defamation and hostile attempts to discredit them. Professor Dr. Maisha M. Auma is currently the target of fierce racist attacks. Professor Auma is a visiting professor at Technische Universität Berlin.
Scientific findings rely on and are unthinkable without a wide range of different perspectives and life experiences and trajectories. The diversity of our members is therefore essential to the scientific work of our university. It is precisely this diversity that enables science to contribute to a free and just development of society.
We see it as our duty to offer all members of our university a fair opportunity to participate. The presence and active involvement of Black and People of Color is for us a natural aspect of life at our university. However, to achieve our goals we also need to examine issues of marginalization, exclusion and injustice in our institutions. The Berlin University Alliance, of which TU Berlin is also a member, is committed to this goal. The visibility of the academic achievements of Black and People of Color is essential for us, and enriches both the generation of knowledge and our society.
However, we currently find ourselves in a situation where it is necessary to shore up the foundations of free democratic society and thus our university. This is more important than ever at a time when scientists and scholars, entire areas of scientific endeavor, and research findings are publicly discredited, attacked and even denied.
Technische Universität Berlin will not tolerate the defamation of Maisha M. Auma and sees it as its duty to take a clear stand. We express and demonstrate our solidarity with this internationally renowned academic. We view Maisha M. Auma’s presence and work at TU Berlin as a huge enrichment and we have already benefited from the new impetus she has provided.
The Executive Board of TU Berlin
Professor Dr. Christian Thomsen, President of TU Berlin
Professor Dr.-Ing. Christine Ahrend, Vice President for Research, Appointment Strategy, Knowledge &Technology Transfer
Professor Dr. Hans-Ulrich Heiß, Vice President for Education, Digitalization, and Sustainability
Professor Dr. Angela Ittel, Vice President for Strategic Development, Junior Scholars, and Teacher Education
Lars Oeverdieck, Acting Vice President for Administration
Publication of statement and how to sign
The statement is published at https://www.tu.berlin/en/go22659/.
Professor Dr. Maisha M. Auma
Maisha M. Auma is an educational scientist whose focus is on diversity, critical race theory, decolonization and intersectionality. Since 2008, she has been professor for childhood and difference (diversity studies) at the Stendal campus of Magdeburg-Stendal University of Applied Sciences. During this period, she was also visiting professor for gender/diversity studies and educational sciences at the Center for Transdisciplinary Gender Studies at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. She is currently (summer semester 2020 and winter semester 2020/2021) visiting professor for interdisciplinary women’s and gender studies at the Center for Interdisciplinary Women’s and Gender Studies at Technische Universität Berlin. She has been actively involved with ADEFRA e.V. Schwarze Frauen in Deutschland since 1993 and together with her team provides expert support for the UN International Decade for People of African Descent (2015-2024) on behalf of the Berlin Senate.
Further information can be obtained from:
Stefanie Terp
University Spokesperson
Tel.: +49 (0)30 314-23922
Email: pressestelle@tu-berlin.de
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists, Scientists and scholars, Students
Social studies
transregional, national
Science policy
English
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