Onur Erdur is a historian and cultural scientist. He studied historical anthropology, history and political science in Freiburg, Basel and Zurich and was a research assistant at the Institute of History at ETH Zurich from 2009 to 2015. In 2016, he received his doctorate from the University of Zurich with a thesis on French epistemology. From 2016 to 2024, he researched and taught at the Institute for Cultural Studies at Humboldt University in Berlin, followed by substitute professorships in Berlin (cultural history) and Flensburg (modern and contemporary European history). He is currently a fellow in the DFG Research Group ‘Applied Humanities’ at HU Berlin.

Onur Erdur is currently researching questions of global intellectual history, with a focus on colonialism and migration. In 2024, his highly acclaimed book ‘School of the South: The Colonial Roots of French Theory’ was published, which appeared on several non-fiction bestseller lists, including the ‘Hotlist’ of the 10 most popular books from independent publishers. Translations into English and French are planned for 2026. He will be a WOC visiting professor in Bremen in November 2025.

The following events are planned with him:

Wednesday, 12 November 2025

10th anniversary of WOC ceremony: On the relevance of contradiction | Panel discussion and reception

Time and place: 6:30–10:00 p.m., Haus der Wissenschaft

Panel participants:

Dr Onur Erdur | Institute for Cultural Studies, Humboldt University of Berlin & WOC Visiting Professor 2025

Prof. Dr Stephan Lessenich | Institute for Sociology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main & Institute for Social Research

Prof. Dr. Rozena Maart | University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban & Mercator Fellow at the WOC Research Centre Contradiction Studies

Moderator: PD Dr. Ehler Voss | Worlds of Contradiction

Followed by a reception to celebrate the 10th anniversary of WOC

Registration at wocprotect me ?!uni-bremenprotect me ?!.de

Thursday, 13 November 2025

School of the South. The Colonial Roots of French Theory

Time and place: 6:30–8:00 p.m. Weserburg

Reading and discussion with author Dr Onur Erdur (Humboldt University of Berlin & WOC visiting professor 2025)

Wednesday, 19 November 2025

Workshop discussion with Onur Erdur and members of the Graduate College 2686 Contradiction Studies and the WOC GradNet

Time and place: 4:00–6:00 p.m., GW2 B3150

Discussion with young researchers from the Graduate College 2686 Contradiction Studies and the WOC GradNet. Following an input from Onur Erdur, there will be an opportunity to exchange ideas on content and methodological strategies in research based on your own projects and to discuss questions regarding academic career paths.

The reading circle and the workshop discussion can be attended independently of each other.

Further information: https://www.woc.uni-bremen.de/guest-professorships/