Transformation of the Humboldtian tradition and the idea of the university in modern Germany

During his stay at ZZF, Östling will pursue his current project on the transformation of the Humboldtian tradition and the idea of the university in modern Germany. Central to the project is the seismic shift in the ideal and institution of the university in the twentieth century – from Berlin to Bologna. One key issue is the way in which the Humboldtian legacy was transformed, reinterpreted and gradually replaced by other academic ideals. In order to operationalize the study, the analysis will concentrate on three significant periods of reform after the Second World War: the immediate post-war period; the 1960s; and the period around 2000. In this way, the academic knowledge culture from which the Bologna Process sprang will be characterized in its full historical context.