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On Wednesday, November 13, Professor Werner Nell of Martin-Luther-Universität in Halle, Germany spoke at the LLCU Faculty Seminar. Dr. Nell’s illustrious and international career involves a long-time collaboration with Queen’s, including in 2024 as “Scholar in Residence” at the Global History Initiative and in 2017 as Diefenbaker Chair. He has been affiliated to the faculty team since 2008. Prior to its amalgamation into Languages Literatures and Cultures, the German Department had a lively formal partnership with Martin-Luther-Universität.

In “Identity and the Identitarian Trap in present-day German Discourse", Dr. Nell highlighted key challenges in comparative perspective. Contrasting with the North American scene, Germany scholarly debates about identity politics are restricted to small groups. As in North America, however, media coverage hyperbolizes. Polemic attacks and debates in feuilletons overstate the scope of identitarian initiatives that aim to acknowledge intersectional diversities and the human rights of minorities. Such coverage singles out individual cases, exaggerates them into trends and even casts them as threats. Professor Nell’s talk exhorted reflection, engagement, and open minds in the face of these challenges.