Students can earn credit points within the Studium Generale for the seminars listed below for the winter semester 2025/2026, which take place as part of the Open Courses in Cultural Studies. These seminars were designed by the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin (MFFB) and are offered in cooperation with Prof. Dr. Jürgen Schulz in the Society and Business Communication program at the Berlin University of the Arts (UdK Berlin). They are open to all students. If sufficient places are available, students from other universities may also participate.

The workshop for lecturers and staff is likewise organized and conducted by the MFFB.

Since 2015, the Mideast Freedom Forum Berlin (MFFB) has been engaged in historical and political education and promotes a fact-based, democratic discourse on antisemitism, Islamism, right-wing extremism, and the Middle East conflict.

Wednesday, December 3 and 17, 2025, 10 a.m.–4 p.m., Room 158, Hardenbergstr. 33
Seminar, German/English, 1 SWS, 1 ECTS, 35 places

Registration link to follow

Requirements: Active and full participation as well as one assignment between the two sessions.

In this seminar, participants will acquire fundamental knowledge in antisemitism- and racism-critical educational work. Future teachers and interested students will be trained through self-reflective exercises and targeted sensitization to recognize antisemitic and racist incidents in (higher) education and to develop effective intervention strategies. At the beginning of the seminar, a historical and systematic analysis of the similarities and differences between antisemitism and racism will be conducted. As the seminar progresses, art-specific debates will be addressed, the topics will be placed in relation to conflicts in the Middle East, and various pedagogical approaches will be presented.

For content-related questions, please contact:
seminar_ @mideastfreedomforum.org

Lecturers: Jahne Nicolaisen and Reza Zadeh

Jahne Nicolaisen is Program Director and Political Scientist at MFFB. He works on the “Education Module Israel” project, in the education project at the Berlin University of the Arts, and in the event program. His areas of focus include antisemitism, Islamism, right-wing extremism, and Critical Theory. Nicolaisen advises on municipal and higher education strategies against antisemitism. In 2023, he completed his master’s thesis at Freie Universität Berlin on “The Conflict between Academic Freedom and Antisemitism at German Universities.” He previously studied Political Science in the bachelor’s program at Freie Universität Berlin and at Marmara Üniversitesi Istanbul.

Reza Zadeh is an education officer responsible for the “Education Module Israel” project. He also works in the educational project on antisemitism prevention at the Berlin University of the Arts. His areas of focus include the history of the Middle East conflict, the political system of Iran, Shia Islam, and Political Theory. In addition, he offers workshops and educational programs on racism and antisemitism for young people and adults as an independent educator. From 2007 to 2015, he studied Political Science, History, and Philosophy and worked at the Institute of Education. His master’s thesis in Philosophy was on Adorno’s Minima Moralia. He is also actively involved in several civil society organizations on a voluntary basis.

Monday, November 3 and 17, 4–8 p.m., Room 158, Hardenbergstr. 33
Seminar, German/English, 1 SWS, 1 ECTS, 35 places

Registration link to follow

Requirements: Active and full participation as well as one assignment between the two sessions.

The aim of the seminar is to enable a multi-perspective engagement with Israel and the Arab-Israeli conflict while also raising awareness of Israel-related antisemitism in Germany. Over the course of two sessions, the history of European antisemitism and its connection to the founding of the State of Israel will be examined. At the same time, the seminar will introduce the Arab-Palestinian national movement that took shape parallel to Israel’s establishment.

A historical look at both movements will help to understand Muslim-Arab and Jewish-Israeli claims to the land. The seminar systematically explores the central lines of conflict as well as possible future perspectives of the Israeli-Arab and Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It highlights the fact that, in addition to the conflicts mentioned, the interests and power ambitions of many actors influence the situation in the Middle East.

The second part of the seminar focuses on debates about the Middle East conflict in Germany as well as Israel-related antisemitism. Using the conflict lines developed earlier, participants will be sensitized to antisemitic vocabulary while also examining the interests and claims of various actors. Special attention will be given to recent developments. Together, strategies will be developed on how to conduct debates respectfully and engage in conflicts constructively.

For content-related questions, please contact:
seminar_ @mideastfreedomforum.org

Lecturers: Jahne Nicolaisen and Dr. des. Rahel Stennes

Jahne Nicolaisen is Program Director and Political Scientist at MFFB. He works on the “Education Module Israel” project, in the education project at the Berlin University of the Arts, and in the event program. His areas of focus include antisemitism, Islamism, right-wing extremism, and Critical Theory. Nicolaisen advises on municipal and higher education strategies against antisemitism. In 2023, he completed his master’s thesis at Freie Universität Berlin on “The Conflict between Academic Freedom and Antisemitism at German Universities.” He previously studied Political Science in the bachelor’s program at Freie Universität Berlin and at Marmara Üniversitesi Istanbul.

Rahel Stennes (Dr. des.) is an education officer in the “Education Module Israel” project and in the educational project on antisemitism prevention at the Berlin University of the Arts. Her areas of focus include antisemitism in academic life and antisemitism in literature, art, and culture. In March 2025, she completed her PhD at the University of Basel with a literary-historical dissertation at the intersection of German literature and antisemitism studies. From 2021 to 2025, she was also a research assistant at the Center for Jewish Studies at the University of Basel.

Here you will find a selection of external workshops and seminars from our network.

The Research and Information Center on Antisemitism Berlin (RIAS Berlin) is taking stock of ten years of documentation work and will discuss developments in antisemitism in Berlin in dialogue with experts from academia and civil society.
We are pleased to draw your attention to our upcoming symposium:
"Everyday Life and Turning Point – Dynamics of Antisemitism in Berlin Before and After October 7,"
taking place on October 16, 2025.

The symposium will feature lectures and panel discussions addressing the following questions:

• How have antisemitic dynamics evolved in recent years?

• How can the events of October 7 be contextualized within these developments?

• Antisemitism existed in everyday situations prior to October 7 – how have Jewish perspectives and experiences changed since then?

• In what forms does antisemitism manifest today? What trends, continuities, and new developments can be observed?

• What role do mobilizations in digital spaces play in the occurrence of antisemitic incidents?

Registration is now open. Please send your name, email address, and (if applicable) institution to fachtagung_ @rias-berlin.de.

The symposium is funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion as part of the Action Fund Against Antisemitism.

RIAS Berlin is a project of the Association for Democratic Culture in Berlin (VDK) e.V.

Art and culture can be seen as influential repositories of knowledge, where antisemitic narratives, imagery, and worldviews continue, transform, and adapt. At the same time, antisemitism in these culturally transmitted contexts is often overlooked or goes unrecognized. For artistic work that aims to adopt antisemitism-critical perspectives, it is essential to understand how antisemitism concretely manifests in the respective arts and how its various forms—including narrative structures and visual manifestations—can be decoded and interpreted. This understanding is a prerequisite for professionally addressing the sometimes vehement conflicts surrounding antisemitism in the cultural sphere.

The introductory workshops are an invitation to artists and cultural practitioners from all disciplines to engage with the traditional forms of antisemitism in cultural contexts and to develop sensitivities for dealing with them. The workshops combine theoretical inputs with examples of literary, visual, and/or theatrical antisemitism, and they also address case studies of antisemitism in the context of artistic productions and institutions.

Registration
Please register by indicating your professional interest via email at schmitt@neue-soziale-plastik.org. The registration deadline for the workshop on June 22, 2025, is May 26, 2025.

The workshop is part of the project “Open Arts Hub Berlin – Strategies Against Antisemitism in Art and Culture,” funded by the Berlin Senate Department for Culture and Social Cohesion.

This program is aimed at freelance artists, artistic groups, and employees of cultural institutions and seeks to encourage and strengthen antisemitism-critical approaches within the arts.