After 650 years of existence University of Vienna appoints very first Black Professor

[Recursion]

http://freshzine.at/2015/06/04/after-650-years-of-existence-university-of-vienna-appoints-very-first-black-professor/

In 1736 Anton Wilhelm Amo was the first African to teach in a German University, the University of Halle. He was from the Gold Coast, present-day Ghana. In the next days, another German-speaking university is going to write an important page of African history in Europe. The University of Vienna is the oldest university in the German-speaking world. Founded in 1365, the university is celebrating its the 650th anniversary this year. It is one of the largest universities in Europe and also one of the most renowned, especially in the Humanities. The university is associated with 15 Nobel Prize winners. This is the environment in which another African "from the Ghana region of the Republic of Africa", as he likes to say, is going to enter into history. Adams Bodomo is the Chair professor of African languages and literatures. He is not only the first black person in this position but also the first black scholar in the entire university of Vienna and also the German-speaking- world to hold such a post. His inaugural lecture will be delivered on the 10th of June. The universities in the German-speaking countries would have to explain to themselves and the world how it comes about that they have had no black persons at such a level. Could the prevailing racism be an explanation? After all, these universities have had over the decades a considerable number of African scholars who have distinguished themselves in their studies and attained the highest grades possible. Cameroonian Journalist simon INOU met Professor Bodomo for an exclusive interview before his lecture.

Professor Bodomo, you arrived in Austria in 2013. After 2 years in Vienna, can you say that you are already a Viennese?
How do you determine who is a Viennese? It is clear I love this city and if I would describe this city in two words I would say it is a complete city in terms of living, jobs, life, interactions…

Although there is a relative small African community…
Yes, but I think it is a very vibrant community. And my favourite spot is the PROSI shopping mall where Africans buy African foodstuff etc…

Next week you are going to hold your inaugural lecture with the title "Exploring global interdisciplinary research trends in the humanities" What are you going to tell the diverse Austrian and international public?
It is important for me to really acknowledge the efforts of the University of Vienna and Austria as a whole to promote African studies in Austria. I will say that not only African languages but also African cultures are a very important part of the humanities and beyond. And we can speak about the interconnectivity of languages. My message will be, not to isolate but to see how interconnected our disciplines are and how to see the humanities as an interdisciplinary field if we would like to understand our world today.

[Tarheel_Dem]

1. K&R

[malaise]

2. K & R

Wow!

[ericthered1975]

3. After 650 years of existence University of Vienna appoints very first Black Professor

Congratulations to University.