It was December 2018 when I last had the opportunity to lecture at a university. Afterwards, my job at the Institute for Higher Education Research took up all my resources. So it was a great pleasure that I got the chance to co-host an entire seminar during the winter term 2020/1 at the sociology department at the University Halle-Wittenberg.

Together with a HoF-colleague I put together a seminar about different forms of academic communication: within the sciences, with “lay persons,” in crisis situations (Corona, anyone?), in political consultancy, in a historical perspective, in contrast to conspiracy theories, etc. You name it: 14 sessions filled with thrill and adventure.

The introductory session went quite well, despite the fact that it’s the first online seminar I’ve ever given and the software (BigBlueButton) has its quirks. The participants are mostly students of sociology but there’s also one from ethnology, politics, arts and even one coming from American studies. All quite dedicated and maneuvering the pitfalls of an online seminar with us, the hosts.

We’re now into its forth session, and I guess we all get the knack of it by now. It is really great to give a seminar again, and I hope it’s as least half as fun for the students as it is for me.