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This lecture uses a range of printed materials and analytical methods to address the vocabulary of slavery in England during the long seventeenth century and traces what was an important process of vernacularisation. Moreover, it aims at identifying the kinds of socio-economic, gendered relations and tensions, that the language of slavery was used to characterise, as well as the semantic stability (or not) of the vocabulary over time. In so doing, the lecture also begins to assess the impact of colonial developments on vernacular discussions of the social order: not least the institutionalisation of indentured service and racist chattel slavery in the Caribbean and American seaboard.

This interdisciplinary workshop on body history and experiences explores strong asymmetrical dependencies from the perspective of the body and experience. The workshop will build upon the agenda and insights generated by the existing Working Group "Body History," which was established in March 2024. Through cross-disciplinary perspectives and discussions, during the workshop meetings, we deepened our understanding of how embodied experiences have been shaped by various dependencies throughout history. The aim of the workshop is to build on the established insights and questions in order to expand and deepen the conversation on interdisciplinary approaches to body history and experiences by historians, anthropologists, archaeologists, and other disciplines. Find the program below. Please note: Registration required as there is only limited seating!

Amid escalating geopolitical instability, authoritarian retrenchments, and the deepening securitisation of knowledge-making, this conference critically examines how entrenched knowledge dependencies continue to shape practices of future-making—and how more equitable futures might still be (re)imagined. From the weaponisation of AI to the erosion of indigenous, activist, and academic freedoms, and the constraints of donor-driven agendas, we ask: How is knowledge circulation mediated? Under what conditions have alternative epistemic futures emerged—in the longue durée and within present formations?

How has Western morality reshaped Indian ideas of the body and performance? This research explores how colonial and postcolonial ideologies impacted Indian expressions of gender and sexuality, especially through dance and performance. Focusing on gay Indian dancer Ram Gopal, my recent book (2024) traces how he navigated cultural tensions in mid-20th-century Europe. Colonial rule and later nationalism imposed Victorian ideals, marginalizing traditions like devadāsīs, hijras, and folk performers, creating a "double dependency" on both colonial and postcolonial norms. Today, artists are reclaiming these forms through performance, film, and cross-disciplinary work, drawing on mythological figures like ardhanārīśvara and Bahuchara Mata. This lecture examines these efforts and the enduring power dynamics shaping memory, identity, and cultural expression.