Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies

Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies
Name	Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies
Established	2019
Director	Juliane Schiel
Parent	University of Bonn
Affiliation	German Research Foundation

Bonn Center for Dependency and Slavery Studies (BCDSS) is a Cluster of Excellence at the University of Bonn, funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Established in 2019, it represents a major interdisciplinary hub for the global and comparative study of asymmetrical dependencies across human history. The center brings together scholars from fields including history, archaeology, anthropology, law, and theology to challenge traditional narratives and develop new methodologies for understanding coercion and agency. Its work situates phenomena like slavery, serfdom, and indentured servitude within broader spectra of power relations.

History and establishment

The center was founded following a successful application in the Excellence Strategy competition of the German government and DFG, which awards long-term funding to top-tier university research clusters. Its establishment at the University of Bonn built upon the institution's existing strengths in area studies and global history, particularly within the Faculty of Arts and the Institute for Oriental and Asian Studies. The proposal was developed by a consortium led by historian Juliane Schiel and involved extensive consultation with international experts from institutions like Harvard University and the University of Michigan. The official launch in 2019 coincided with a growing scholarly and public reckoning with the legacies of transatlantic slavery and colonialism in Europe and beyond.

Research focus and theoretical framework

The BCDSS's core analytical concept is "asymmetrical dependency," a framework designed to move beyond binary free/unfree dichotomies and examine a wide range of coercive labor relations, debt bondage, pawnship, and adoptive servitude. This approach facilitates the comparison of diverse systems across chronological periods and geographical regions, from ancient Rome and the Islamic world to colonial Latin America and post-emancipation societies. Research critically engages with the historiography of slavery studies, questioning Eurocentric models and incorporating perspectives from Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Indigenous America. Key theoretical influences include the work of scholars like Orlando Patterson, Claude Meillassoux, and Ira Berlin.

Organizational structure and key figures

The center is directed by Juliane Schiel, a professor of Pre-Modern History at the University of Bonn. Its governance includes an executive board, a scientific advisory board with members from institutions such as Oxford University and University of California, Berkeley, and a management office. Research is organized into interdisciplinary research groups and junior research groups focusing on themes like "Dependency and Slavery in the Black Atlantic" or "Semantics of Dependency." Notable principal investigators and senior fellows associated with the center include Stephan Conermann, Matthieu Leimgruber, and Alessandro Stanziani. The structure promotes collaboration between established professors, postdoctoral researchers, and doctoral candidates.

Major projects and publications

The BCDSS coordinates numerous large-scale projects, including digital humanities initiatives to map slave trades and dependency relations globally. A flagship publication is the "Handbook of Dependency and Slavery Studies" (De Gruyter), a comprehensive reference work featuring contributions from hundreds of international scholars. Researchers regularly publish in leading journals like Past & Present, Slavery & Abolition, and the Journal of Global History. The center also hosts the "Asymmetrical Dependency" book series and produces working papers and policy briefs. Public-facing projects include collaborations with museums like the Rautenstrauch-Joest Museum in Cologne and the International Slavery Museum in Liverpool.

Academic programs and teaching

The center is integrated into the graduate school of the University of Bonn, offering a structured doctoral program in Dependency and Slavery Studies. This program includes mandatory coursework in theoretical approaches, methodological training, and research ethics, alongside specialized workshops and summer schools. It supports PhD candidates through scholarships and provides a framework for dissertation research that is both empirically grounded and theoretically innovative. While not offering an undergraduate major, the BCDSS influences teaching through lectures and seminars within various bachelor's and master's programs at the university, particularly in history and social anthropology.

International collaboration and impact

The BCDSS maintains a vast network of partner institutions worldwide, including the Centre for the Study of the Legacies of British Slavery at University College London, the Gilder Lehrman Center at Yale University, and the Institut d'Études Avancées in Nantes. It regularly hosts international conferences, such as the "Global Asymmetries" symposium, and invites visiting scholars from across the Global South. The center's impact extends beyond academia into public history, contributing to debates on reparations, memorialization, and contemporary forms of human trafficking. Its research informs policy discussions at organizations like UNESCO and the International Labour Organization.

Category:Research institutes in Germany Category:University of Bonn Category:Slavery studies