During the Long Night of Science at Berlin Universities on June 22, 2024, we set up a mobile studio to gather material for our research project, Urgently Wanted: Freedom of Research and Learning. In collaboration with the Freiheitsarchiv, we set up the Erzählbox, a booth where individuals or groups could record their responses. Participants were asked about their understanding of educational and research freedom, their views on whether Berlin offers adequate opportunities for young people to develop in education, and their perspectives on the freedom to learn, study, and conduct research in Berlin and Germany.
In addition to individual recordings, two group discussions were held during the event. These discussions covered topics such as the lack of information about the expectation and wishes of migrants communities that just arrived in Berlin resulting in an offer to access education or job markets that do not fit their needs, the universality and transferability of academic knowledge and artistic forms of knowledge production and dissemination.
The research project and its questions sparked much interest among participants. Many appreciated the opportunity to voice their opinions and experiences regarding academic freedom and the freedom of research and learning. This engagement contributed valuable insights to the ongoing re-conceptualization of migration.
