Exploring Contradictions beyond Contradiction

Recap of the 1st International Conference on Contradiction Studies

Poster of the ECBC 2025 conference

From February 11 to 14, 2025, the Research Training Group 2686—funded by the German Research Foundation—hosted the 1st International Conference on Contradiction Studies at the University of Bremen titled “Exploring Contradictions beyond Contradiction.”

The conference featured a series of engaging keynote lectures, panels, and discussions, aimed at exploring the many facets of contradiction/s across disciplines. We were delighted to have a distinguished group of scholars and researchers join us for this groundbreaking exchange. The diverse perspectives and lively debates have undoubtedly enriched our understanding of contradictions and opened new avenues for future research.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to all participants, especially to our Fellows and Mercator Fellows, for their invaluable contributions that made this conference a resounding success. 

For those who were unable to attend or wish to revisit the discussions, the conference program and book of abstracts are available for download on our conference website, and video recordings of the keynote lectures can be accessed here.

We look forward to continuing this important dialogue and fostering further collaborations in the field of Contradiction Studies.

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problem to be solved

“Contradiction is not primarily a problem to be solved but a motor we cannot do without.”

Martin Nonhoff
ideal of a contradiction-free world

“Science has long been animated by the ideal of a contradiction-free world in which logical orders could merge with society, politics, culture and language. In the GRC Contradiction Studies we are working on ways of describing the multiplicity and complexity, the danger and beauty of our worlds that clearly go beyond concepts of freedom from contradiction.”

Michi Knecht
decolonial scholarship

“Creating decentralizing and decolonizing scholarship on contradiction, contradictory phenomena, and contradicting processes is a challenging task.”

Kerstin Knopf
sustained engagement

“The history of Western philosophy can be understood as a sustained engagement with contradiction.”

Norman Sieroka
earthing

“Geography as a discipline stands for a certain worlding, if not earthing, of contradiction, in both theoretical and pracitcal respect.”

Julia Lossau