We have rarely set boundaries for ourselves when designing the public lecture program – but that does not prevent us from exploring them in many ways in terms of content in the current program. The world-famous composer Richard Wagner crosses borders on his alpine travels in Switzerland and thus finds musical inspiration (lecture by Hans-Georg Hofmann). The emigrants from the alpine region of Switzerland, on the other hand, leave the borders behind on their journeys into the unknown world and face an uncertain fate (lecture Clau Solèr). In literature, the boundaries of Kafka's narrative worlds present themselves as entirely "unfathomable" (lecture by Andreas Härter), but this is precisely what accounts for their enduring fascination. In contrast, author and Swiss Book Prize winner Martina Clavadetscher explodes the boundaries of obedience in her books, both in terms of content and narrative, and shows us in her lecture how narratives develop rapidly just beyond these boundaries. Literary disobedience has often been dearly paid for by Russian Enlightenment thinkers who, with and in their writing, have always wanted to set limits to the arbitrary power of the state. Even in the face of Putin's current border violations in Ukraine, this Russian tradition of literary resistance lives on (lecture by Ulrich Schmid).
Our anniversary series on the occasion of the 125th anniversary of the University of St.Gallen, finally, delimits spaces and dreams and itself creates a space of encounter and interaction (lecture Gulnaz Partschefeld) – you are all welcome!
Limited is also my time as delegate of the rector for the public lecture program. After seven and a half inspiring years, at the end of the semester I will pass the baton to Prof. Jörg Metelmann and Prof. Daniel Cuonz, who will jointly take over the management of the program starting in the fall semester. For this wonderful task, I wish you much joy and good success. At the same time, I would like to thank you, dear listeners, for your loyalty and enthusiasm for our public lecture program, which you have always made me feel.
To illustrate the booklet, we invited third and fourth grade students from the Rotmonten-Gerhalde Primary School to join us at SQUARE and asked for their perspective on selected events in our lecture program. Together with our lecturers, they thought, discussed and designed – Hannes Thalmann, as always with a good eye, captured this visually in wonderful pictures.
Goodbye!
Florian Wettstein, in January 2023
Attendance at the public lectures costs twenty francs; attendance is free for members of the University of St.Gallen, students, lecturers and staff. The first lecture of a series can be attended free of charge. The fee must be paid before the start of the second lecture using the payment slip or the e-banking details below. This slip, or the printout of the online payment, serves as a semester pass.
PostFinance account: 90-747-8
BIC/SWIFT code: POFICHBEXXX
IBAN: CH21 0900 0000 9000 0747 8
made out to: Universität St.Gallen (HSG), Dufourstrasse 50, 9000 St.Gallen
Purpose of payment: Öffentliche Vorlesungen, 433 310 / S08950002
Please take a receipt of the transfer to the lectures as a semester pass. Thank you very much.
During our inaugural and farewell lectures, we welcome or bid farewell to our professors and associate professors.
Those who are appointed as professors or associate professors at the HSG introduce themselves in a public lecture.
Likewise, professors who retire give a public lecture to say goodbye. You are cordially invited to attend these public inaugural and farewell lectures, as well as HSG members.
Like our public lectures, our inaugural and farewell lectures cover a wide range of topics: from economic and legal issues to aspects of cultural policy.
You can find an overview of all inaugural and farewell lectures in the programme booklet.
University of St.Gallen
HSG Events Office
Public Lectures
oeffentlichesprogramm(at)unisg.ch
+41 71 224 33 39, Tue and Wed, 9-11 am
University of St.Gallen
Communications
kommunikation(at)unisg.ch
+41 71 224 22 25