How beautiful is a graduation cap!

The Max Weber Centre for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt (Max-Weber-Kolleg) awarded graduation caps to graduates of the last two years at its summer party on 4 July 2022.

Due to the pandemic, the last two annual celebrations of the Max-Weber-Kolleg, which traditionally always take place in January, only took place as video conferences. In this context, the completed doctorates were honoured in detail with laudations, but doctoral hats could not be presented. Everyone was all the more pleased that this ceremonial act could be made up for on Monday in the Coelicum, a particularly beautiful lecture hall of the old University of Erfurt, as part of a small celebration.

Surrounded by the wonderful music provided by Boyana Antonova (violoncello) and Alexandra Ismer (piano), graduates of the last two years were able to receive their graduation caps.

Unfortunately, not all of them could be present, as some have already taken up new positions as professors or postdocs in Germany and abroad. Felipe Torres, Amrita Mondal, Hannah Peaceman, Tanja Visic, Sisi Sung, Raphaela Swadosch and Clemens Villinger were sorely missed.

Those who came were: Enno Friedrich, who wrote his dissertation on "Das Christliche Weltgewebe des Venantius Fortunatus - Weltbeziehungen und die Carmina", Olivera Koprivica with a thesis on "No-Body in Non-Everyday Life in Two Orthodox Woman Monasteries", Jenny Lagaude, who received her PhD with an edition of Johann Gottfried Herder's early sermons (1758-1769), Anita Scheuermann, who wrote on "Klingende Subjekte. Subjektivierungsweisen von Gesangspraktiker*innen im deutschsprachigen Heils- und Therapiemarkt", Janna Vogl with her dissertation on "From Agency to Action? Women and Development Cooperation in South India”, Isabell Wagener with her doctoral thesis "Wer bin ich? Reflections on the relationship between figurative, linguistic and performative representation using the example of the personifications of the Old Comedy", and Qian Zhao, who wrote a doctoral thesis on "The Evolution of Modern Business Ethics in Reform China".

Four of the dissertations were completed within the framework of cotutelle procedures between the Max-Weber-Kolleg of the University of Erfurt and the University of Graz in the context of the joint International Graduate School.

After the obligatory group photos, the evening ended in beautiful weather in the beer garden.

"This celebration was a successful re-entry into the non-digital festive culture. Such rituals are important to pause at the end of an exhausting qualification path, to experience appreciation and to celebrate together," said the directors of the Max-Weber-Kolleg, Hartmut Rosa and Jörg Rüpke, after the end of the festivities.