This week (23 to 26 March), the Spring Academy at Ulm University under the motto "LivingTogether. Connecting instead of dividing" is dedicated to social cohesion and polarising tendencies. Around 430 participants in their third age follow the lectures and attend the other programmes. The continuing education week is organised by the Centre for General Continuing Academic Education (Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung - ZAWiW) at Ulm University. Journalist Gilda Sahebi opened the event by talking about the narrative of a divided society and showed that it works better than is often claimed.

The participants of this year's Spring Academy were welcomed on Monday morning by Dr Markus Marquard, Managing Director of the ZaWiW - Centre for General Scientific Education (Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung), who also introduced the other morning lectures. Ulm's Mayor of Culture, Iris Mann, contributed a word of welcome and praised the cooperation between the University and the city. Professor Rebekka Hufendiek, Department Head of the Humboldt Centre for Philosophy and the Humanities of the University, introduced the speaker, Gilda Sahebi.

The political scientist and journalist Sahebi entitled her lecture "Connecting instead of dividing - against a politics of politicisation" - in keeping with the theme of the academy week and the title of her latest book. In the entertaining lecture, she addressed the narrative of a divided society, which is often heard but is not reflected in her everyday life or in empirical data. "Narratives such as 'us versus them' or 'good versus evil' operate in society's subconscious," said Gilda Sahebi, who called on people to actively engage with these narratives, because "authoritarian forces are becoming reinforced and thrive on 'good versus evil'". Parties and many media outlets are committed to opposing one another and defaming the other. She concluded: "I don't believe in political structures, I believe in society."

The other lectures at the 69th Academy Week at Ulm University will focus on anti-democracy, justice, migration and wealth taxation. These are all topics that define coexistence in a society. The supporting programme includes an exhibition on "VielfALT - Perspektiven auf das Leben im Alter" (diversity - perspectives on life in old age) as well as a cultural event with singing together. Afternoon working groups and the popular "Wednesday programmes" round off the academy week.

Tickets for the individual lectures are available for 15 euros each from the ZaWiW - Centre for General Scientific Education (Zentrum für Allgemeine Wissenschaftliche Weiterbildung) or at the Infopoint in the Forum. Students of Ulm University can register free of charge.

Programme and registration: https://akademie.zawiw.de

Further information: Dr. Annette Wettstein, Deputy Managing Director ZaWiW - Centre for General Scientific Education (Centre for General Scientific Education), Tel.: 0731/50-26610, E-Mail: info@zawiw.de