Migration 1.2018 - Max-Planck-Gesellschaft
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B56133 The Science Magazine of the Max Planck Society 1.2018 Migration HISTORY QUANTUM PHYSICS EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY NANOTECHNOLOGY The Power of Crystals under Mice Are Here Biomolecules Humiliation Control to Stay in Action
Max Planck Innovation is responsible for
the technology transfer of the Max Planck
Society and, as such, the link between
industry and basic research. With our inter-
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products, which contribute to the economic
and social progress.
Connecting Science and Business
www.max-planck-innovation.de
ON LOCATION
Photo: ESO/B. Tafreshi
Cold Cosmos
At 5,100 meters above sea level, the air is thin and dry as a bone – properties that astronomers appreciate immensely.
Up there, the dense aerial ocean of the Earth’s atmosphere and its otherwise substantial water content pose only a
minor hindrance to observations, enabling researchers to get much closer to the vast wilderness of starry wasteland.
That’s why they built an antenna on the Chajnantor plateau in the Chilean Andes: the Atacama Pathfinder Experiment,
or APEX for short. The 12-meter dish detects millimeter and submillimeter radiation at the boundary between
infrared light and radio waves.
Astronomers and technicians are currently upgrading the telescope. The centerpiece of this high-tech machine
will be a camera with around 25,000 pixels, aimed at facilitating surveys of the heavens with unrivalled resolution.
Of course 25,000 pixels isn’t much compared with, say, a smartphone camera, but the detectors have to operate at a
temperature of minus 272.85 degrees Celsius, or just above absolute zero. The field of view of the camera is half the
apparent size of the full moon.
Speaking of the moon: APEX’s application range extends far beyond our solar system. The telescope explores
primarily cooler regions, especially molecular clouds in interstellar space. In these cosmic nurseries, new stars are
born out of gas and dust; these stellar embryos are mostly invisible in optical light, but APEX is well suited to studying
the physical and chemical properties of these clouds. Researchers also have their sights set on the most distant and
therefore youngest galaxies, as the expansion of space has stretched their light and shifted it to the submillimeter or
millimeter range of the spectrum.
The APEX partners are the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy (MPIfR), the Swedish Onsala Space Observa-
tory (OSO) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO), which operates the telescope on behalf of the consortium.
The members recently agreed to extend the partnership until the end of 2022, so the dish on the Chilean high plateau
will continue delivering deep insights into the cold cosmos in the coming years.
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 3
Contents
18 10
In the corner: People have been
MIGRATION publicly humiliated throughout history.
The public aspect is a key factor.
18 Every Room Is Its Own Culture PERSPECTIVES
Numerous refugees are seeking sanctuary or a new home in Germany.
06 Additional Positions for
A project at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and
Excellent Female Scientists
Ethnic Diversity is taking a look at what needs and goals the refugees
have and how firm a foothold they are gaining in their new life. 06 Innovation to Improve Machine
Text Comprehension
26 At the Margins 07 “Moral courage is needed
It’s easy to overlook the marginalized. Research, too, has so far paid everywhere”
Cover: fotolia; photos this page: iStockphoto/TBE (large image), picture alliance/chromorange
little attention to the phenomenon of social exclusion. Six Max Planck 08 Twofold Partnership with Harvard
Institutes have now begun to address this issue and have joined 08 Fourfold Success
forces to study the exclusion of migrants. Their aim is to uncover
09 Amazon Arrives in Cyber Valley
exclusion and develop fair rules to regulate migration.
09 On the Net
34 A Model for Greater Togetherness
La Convivencia is viewed as a golden age of peaceful coexistence VIEWPOINT
between Muslims, Jews and Christians in medieval Spain.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institutes for Social Anthropology 10 The Power of Humiliation
and for the History of Science are examining the myth of this period Rituals of degradation have been
and its possible function as a model for today’s world. used throughout the ages as a
means of exercising authority. But
modern society has developed new
methods for publicly stigmatizing
outsiders, as our author describes.
FOCUS
ON THE COVER It’s just a passport with stamps on its pages – but it is what 18 Every Room Is Its Own Culture
determines who may enter a given country. In the first instance, it is bureaucracy 26 At the Margins
that regulates who may come and who should stay out. Migration, however, often 34 A Model for Greater Togetherness
follows different laws when people are fleeing or searching for a better life.
Science is investigating the phenomenon, questioning the rules and exploring
the conditions for peaceful coexistence of different cultures.
4 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18
48 56 64
In the tunnel: Electrons dart across In the area: House mice are masters In the lab: Unlike the name
a 3.4-kilometer-long track at DESY, of adaptation. They are at home in suggests, nanosensors require
generating X-ray flashes. the steppes and on tropical islands. a large experimental setup.
SPECTRUM PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY ENVIRONMENT & CLIMATE
42 Beautifully Sad 48 Crystals under Control 72 Rooted in the Forest
42 Recipe for a Comet To alter properties of material with Personal Portrait: Henrik Hartmann
43 Bacteria Replace Laboratory Animals light as if with the wave of a magic
wand: that is the mission of research-
43 Revenge Is Sweet
ers working at the Max Planck Insti- REGULAR FEATURES
43 Stop Signals in the Brain tute for the Structure and Dynamics
03 On Location
44 El Niño Intensifies the of Matter. They are using lasers to
Greenhouse Effect change the behavior of crystals, fleet- 16 Post from – the Irish Sea
ingly producing superconductors. Braving the Forces of Nature
44 Gravitational Waves from
Photos: European XFEL, MPI for Evolutionary Biology, Steven Haywood (left to right)
Neutron Stars 80 Flashback
Splitting Atoms in the Beer Cellar
45 Light Makes Algae Sticky BIOLOGY & MEDICINE 82 Max Planck Community
45 Flying South Pays Off
82 An Alternative View of Art
45 Looking Deep into the Heart 56 Mice Are Here to Stay
83 To Kuwait and Back
of Stars Wherever people live, there are mice.
83 Research Summit in Mexico
It thus seemed obvious to scientists
46 On the Leash! 84 The History of the Theory of Everything
at the Max Planck Institute for Evolu-
46 Sand Is a Paradise for Bacteria 85 Max Planck Schools Develop
tionary Biology that the small rodents
46 Less Fertilizer Decreases Fine International Presence
would make an ideal model system for
Particulate Matter 85 Call for Meitner Group Applications
investigating how evolution works.
86 Successful Communication Event
47 Less Stress, More Social Competence
87 Research Establishments
47 Fibers Spun from Slime MATERIALS & TECHNOLOGY 87 Publisher’s Information
64 Biomolecules in Action
To date, there has been no method
for observing exactly how enzymes
and other biomolecules function.
A group at the Max Planck Institute
for the Science of Light has now
succeeded in doing just that – using
a plasmonic nanosensor.
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 5
PERSPECTIVES
Additional Positions for Excellent
Female Scientists
New initiative offers long-term prospects for female junior scientists with outstanding qualifications
With the Lise Meitner Excellence Program, the Max Planck
Society is strengthening its commitment to supporting
high-achieving women in their scientific careers. Starting
in the spring of 2018, up to ten additional Max Planck
Research Group positions will be made available each year
for female scientists. The positions will be filled through a
multi-stage selection process in close collaboration with
interested Max Planck Institutes. The Group Leaders will
receive a fixed-term, five-year W2-level contract. In addi-
tion, they will have the opportunity to participate in a ten-
ure-track procedure that, following a comprehensive assess-
ment, will secure them a permanent W2-level position with
group facilities. “This new program offers unique opportu-
nities,” emphasizes Max Planck President Martin Strat-
mann: “free scientific development, long-term job security
and clear career prospects. I am convinced that this will
help us attract future Directors.” The Max Planck Society is
set to invest more than 30 million euros by 2022 to enhance
career prospects for female scientists.
Opening the door for talent: The Max Planck Society aims
to enhance its pool of high-calibre female researchers through
the Lise Meitner Excellence Program.
Innovation to Improve Machine Text Comprehension
Spin-off company of the Max Planck Institute for Informatics develops technology
to automatically comprehend information
The ability to understand texts correct- ing too easily. For machines, such inter- biverse, a spin-off company from the
ly remains a challenge for computers, as pretations are barely possible – yet they Max Planck Institute, used the data-
such content often contains ambigu- are essential if we hope to make com- base to develop an intelligent software
ous terms that are hard to interpret. For prehensive use of digital content. solution for automatic and accurate
example, humans can decipher the To solve this problem, researchers recognition and interpretation of am-
meaning of the headline “Sterling tum- at the Max Planck Institute for Infor- biguous words and phrases in texts.
bles once again” based on the context. matics in Saarbrücken created the Ambiverse aims to tailor search and
An informed reader would recognize knowledge base Yago. It’s a semantic analysis tools to suit companies’ re-
Photo: Wolfram Scheible
that, rather than reporting a drop in the database containing more than ten quirements, making them better able
currency market, the article relates to million entities (names, organizations, to electronically evaluate such data
England soccer player Raheem Sterling, cities and similar items) and is some- from news archives, company docu-
a midfielder with a reputation for fall- thing like a lexicon for machines. Am- ments and product reviews.
6 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18
PERSPECTIVES
“Moral courage is needed everywhere”
Anna Baumert is investigating which personality traits enable
fearless intervention in the face of injustice
Moral courage is a quality we hold in high sition. How conscious is a person of mor-
regard. But why do we so often hesitate al issues? How important are their moral
to stand up for justice? And how do mor- principles to them? How strongly do they
ally courageous individuals differ from tend to react with negative emotions
others? Together with her team, Anna when they experience injustice or witness
Baumert, Leader of the Max Planck Re- immorality? It’s also a question of impul-
search Group on Moral Courage at the siveness: How strong is a person’s impulse
Max Planck Institute for Research on Col- compelling them to intervene in certain
lective Goods in Bonn, is currently search- situations? Their willingness to break in-
ing for answers to these questions. One ternalized social rules also plays a role.
thing is certain: wise and supportive in- Most of us have learned to conduct our-
tervention can be learned everywhere – selves in a controlled manner, manage our
even on a small scale. emotions and leave others in peace.
Anna Baumert
Dr. Baumert, moral courage is often sen So are these societal norms the reason why
sationalized in the press. Where does your few people intervene?
focus lie? That’s our assumption, yes. In situations
Anna Baumert: We’re concerned with where there is a perpetrator who could allies, get help and then stay on the scene
basic research. We investigate situations be detained, a person must first defy nu- as a witness.
in which someone commits an injustice, merous internalized conventions. It’s not
breaks rules or behaves immorally – and that easy. You’re hoping to develop a characterology
is observed by another person. The psy- of courageous helpers through your study.
chological processes and mechanisms It’s also often not clear whether intervention What is your approach?
that dictate whether a bystander inter- is actually justified or not. We invite people who have shown moral
venes against a perpetrator are presum- With actions driven by moral courage, courage in the past to take part in our
ably quite different than, for example, the there is certainly a risk of falsely accusing study. These are people who have been
processes that dictate whether a person someone – and thus getting yourself into an recognized in Germany for their actions.
helps a stranger. embarrassing situation. Intervening can be We also issued a more general call for par-
just as much of a mistake as doing nothing. ticipants who experienced injustice as a
So, just how courageous are we humans? Ultimately, you must ask yourself what the bystander and intervened in some way.
When an injustice occurs, far fewer people consequences of each “mistake” might be. We send everyone to whom this applies
intervene than you might expect. I don’t a two-part questionnaire that can be
exclude myself from this. I would hope Should I feel bad if I don’t intervene? completed online and then analyze their
that, if I were to find myself in a sticky sit- From a psychological perspective, there answers anonymously.
uation, I would be prepared to come up are many hurdles that make not interven-
with an effective way to intervene. How- ing understandable. However, everyone There are training schools for moral courage –
ever, research confirms that my thinking should realize that their behavior impacts can anyone learn to act courageously?
that I would intervene doesn’t necessarily the behavior of others. If you remain inac- This is a very individual matter. Schools are
match the reality. We described a scenar- tive and do nothing, the risk increases that positive and helpful, and I’m sure our re-
io to participants and then placed them in others will follow suit and do the same. It’s search findings can also be relevant for
the actual situation. It became clear that important to weigh up each situation. We such training courses. But it isn’t only
there are major discrepancies between in- recommend not always getting right in about major conflict situations; moral
tending to intervene and actually inter- the middle of something – or you just courage is needed everywhere – in schools,
vening. Many people overestimate their might find yourself in great danger. in neighborhoods and even in the work-
Photo: Private collection
will or ability to act. place. There are plenty of minor situa-
What should we do if things become tions in which people can intervene
But there are always people who intervene in precarious? against injustice. Becoming more con-
difficult situations. What sets them apart? Essentially exactly what the police rec- scious of injustices is something you can
So far, we can only speculate about that. ommend: Engage other people and point learn anywhere.
First of all, there is a certain moral dispo- the injustice out to them. Look to make Interview: Martin Roos
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 7
PERSPECTIVES
Twofold Partnership with Harvard
Max Planck Society launches two new collaboration projects with leading US university
Max Planck scientists work closely with their colleagues at
elite US universities in a number of fields. Now two new
collaborative endeavors have been established at the insti-
tutional level. In October 2017, work commenced on a new
center to research the ancient Mediterranean region. The
primary focus of the Max Planck-Harvard Research Center
for the Archaeoscience of the Ancient Mediterranean is mo-
bility in the Mediterranean region between 1600 and 1000
BCE. The Center will enable scientists at Harvard University
in Cambridge (Massachusetts) and the Max Planck Institute
for the Science of Human History in Jena to combine estab-
lished archaeological and historical approaches with state-
of-the-art biotechnological methods.
The Max Planck Harvard Research Center for Quantum
Optics took up its work in January. One hundred years after
the quantum nature of light and matter was discovered,
quantum physics is currently experiencing something of a
revolution: new techniques are laying the foundations for
major discoveries in particle physics and for innovative
devices, such as the quantum computer. The joint Center
combines the expertise and infrastructure of the Max Planck
Opening handshake: Mark C. Elliott, Vice Provost for International
Institute of Quantum Optics in Garching and Harvard Uni- Affairs at Harvard, with Max Planck President Martin Stratmann at the
versity, offering new ways to address the unsolved problems inaugural ceremony for the joint Research Center for the Archaeo
Photos: Harvard University (top), Sven Doering, Jürgen Bauer, private collection, Wolfram Scheible (bottom, from left to right)
of quantum physics. science of the Ancient Mediterranean.
Fourfold Success
Four Max Planck Directors awarded this year’s Leibniz Prize
The German Research Foundation into metabolism and immune process- Planck Society’s prizewinning quartet
(DFG) selected 11 successful candidates es. The prize was also awarded to Jens is Bernhard Schölkopf of the Max Planck
from among 136 nominations for this Beckert of the Max Planck Institute for Institute for Intelligent Systems in
year’s Leibniz Prize – and four Max the Study of Societies in Cologne in Tübingen. The computer scientist has
Planck Directors were among the win- recognition of his accomplishments in made key contributions to the theory
ners. Alessandra Buonanno of the Max renewing an interdisciplinary perspec- and success of machine learning. The
Planck Institute for Gravitational Phys- tive in social sciences, particularly at prizes, which carry an endowment of
ics in Potsdam received the honor for the interface of sociology and econom- 2.5 million euros, were awarded at a
her theoretical models that make it ics. The fourth member of the Max ceremony in Berlin in March.
possible to identify and interpret grav-
itational waves. Erika L. Pearce from
the Max Planck Institute of Immuno-
biology and Epigenetics in Freiburg was
honored for her exceptional research
The triumphant four (from left): Alessandra
Buonanno, Jens Beckert, Erika L. Pearce
and Bernhard Schölkopf receive the Leibniz
Prize 2018.
8 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18
PERSPECTIVES
Amazon Arrives in Cyber Valley
The technology company is supporting a project to develop artificial intelligence
in the Stuttgart-Tübingen region
Cyber Valley has gained another industry partner: Ama-
zon wants to take part in the research project initiated by
the Max Planck Society in December 2016. The technolo-
gy company plans to contribute 1.25 million euros to re-
search groups in the Stuttgart-Tübingen region over the
coming years. Furthermore, Amazon will establish a re-
search center of its own near the Max Planck Institute for
Intelligent Systems in Tübingen and intensify its collabo-
rative work with the Max Planck Society. Max Planck Pres-
ident Martin Stratmann welcomed the decision, saying:
“We are gaining yet another strong partner that will fur-
ther enhance the international significance of the research
in Cyber Valley.”
For the collaborative project – one of Europe’s largest
initiatives in the field of artificial intelligence – the Max
Planck Society has joined forces with the German federal
state of Baden-Württemberg, the universities of Stuttgart
and Tübingen, and such companies as BMW, Bosch, Daim-
ler, Porsche and ZF Friedrichshafen. The aim is to promote
research into intelligent systems and create a suitable en- An example of Cyber Valley success: Apollo the robot is expected to learn
vironment for a series of successful spin-offs. to move autonomously at the Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems.
On the Net
How to Reach 100 – In the Heart of Wendelstein 7-X Computer Vision
and Enjoy It The new 360-degree panorama on the The International Max Planck Research
That’s the motto of “A Life Journey,” Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics School for Intelligent Systems (IMPRS)
a demographic app produced by (IPP) website leads straight into the plas- has launched an introduction video
Population Europe in Berlin. In ad- ma vessel of the Wendelstein 7-X fusion re- aimed at students who have obtained an
dition to texts, infographics and search facility in Greifswald, Germany. Vis- outstanding master’s degree and want
videos, the app for iPad and iPhone itors to the website can also explore the to do extraordinary research in the field
includes a series of interactive experiment hall and visit the facility that of intelligent systems. This interdisci-
games to introduce users to the heats plasma to several million degrees plinary PhD program offered by the Max
topic of demographic change, for Celsius. Using a PC, tablet or smartphone, Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems,
example by letting users calculate they can gain insight from every angle and the University of Stuttgart, and the Uni-
their life expectancy. The app, zoom in to see even the smallest detail. versity of Tübingen has 29 PhD students
which is available in ten languages, With the click of a mouse, visitors can and 21 faculty members working in differ-
is aimed primarily at students and start and stop short videos in which IPP ent areas of intelligent systems, includ-
teachers seeking an enjoyable scientists describe their workplace, while ing computer vision, machine learning,
method to explore demographic pop-up information panels explain key robotics, haptics, control systems, per-
Photo: Wolfram Scheible
topics. A tutorial explains how to components. The panorama was captured ceptual inference, computer graphics and
use the app, and additional teach- by Munich-based photographer Volker micro- and nanorobotics. The School is
ing resources and webinars round Steger, who previously produced the pan- looking for young people with new ideas
out the app’s content. orama of the IPP ASDEX Upgrade fusion on how to shape the future.
www.population-europe.eu/video/ device in Garching, near Munich. www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXrW_
how-use-app-life-journey www.ipp.mpg.de/panoramaw7xeng yXJUaI
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 9
VIEWPOINT_History
The Power of Humiliation
Rituals of degradation have been used throughout the ages as a means of exercising
authority. Judges made a public show of people by having them placed in the pillory,
teachers made unruly pupils the object of ridicule with dunce caps. Such practices
have been consigned to the past, but modern society has developed new methods for
publicly stigmatizing outsiders, as our author describes.
TEXT UTE FREVERT
T
he mention of public humiliation often rarily suspended. And as if that weren’t enough, she
conjures up images of pillories, flogging also imposed what Americans call a shame sanction:
and branding, but one might wonder an act of public humiliation intended to publicly stig-
what such practices of public degradation matize Hardin as an idiot. Such sanctions are intend-
and ridicule have to do with modern so- ed not only to punish and discipline people, but also
ciety. After all, these kinds of punishment began dis- to educate and improve them, very much in the style
appearing from European criminal codes in the mid- of the 18th and early 19th centuries.
19th century, albeit only after lengthy disputes and The US was also the setting of the story of 13-year-
bitter confrontations. old Izabel Laxamana. In May 2015, she jumped from
But just because European states have moved a bridge in the state of Washington because she
away from such humiliating practices certainly couldn’t bear the public shaming inflicted upon her
doesn’t mean that they no longer exist. People are by her father. Incensed by a selfie showing his daugh-
ter in a sports bra and leggings that was circulating
at Laxamana’s school, he cut off her long hair and
filmed her while doing so. When the video spread
Even here in Germany, and became the subject of classroom gossip, Izabel
took her own life.
such humiliation is omnipresent – Yet here in Germany, too, such public humiliation
Photo: picture-alliance/AP/Winfried Rothermel
especially online and shaming is omnipresent – not solely, but over-
whelmingly, online. Until recently, there was a plat-
form where drivers could make their negative feelings
still publicly demeaned, ridiculed, treated with con- known about other commuters while clearly identi-
tempt and put in a virtual pillory. Take, for example, fying who they meant, to boot. In 2017, a foundation
an incident from November 2012 in Cleveland, Ohio
(USA), when Shena Hardin stood at a busy intersec-
tion holding a sign that read: “Only an idiot would Exposed for all to see: With his sculpture “Martin Into the
Corner, You Should Be Ashamed,” artist Martin Kippenberger
drive on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus.” Hardin addresses humiliating rituals that were commonplace during
had done just that on numerous occasions. The judge his school years in the 1960s. The approving gaze of others
ordered her to pay a fine and had her license tempo- only intensifies the victim’s shame and embarrassment.
10 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18VIEWPOINT_History 1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 11
VIEWPOINT_History
close to one of the major political parties published selves of the memory. The presence of others when
an online lexicon of anti-feminist networks, organi- acts of shaming and humiliation occur is extremely
zations and individuals; widely seen as a form of de- important. Of course, it is possible to be ashamed of
nunciation, it was ultimately taken down by its pub- oneself for a thought or action that runs counter to
lishers. New shaming platforms where people are social mores or one’s idealized self-image. For exam-
mocked for supposedly being too fat, too thin, too ple, I might feel ashamed for envying a colleague’s
promiscuous and so on appear each and every day. well-deserved promotion. The same feeling would
But where does this need to showcase and public- creep over me if I looked on gleefully as my boss gave
ly attack other people – even one’s own children – a colleague a public dressing-down. Today, public hu-
originate? What is such humiliation and shaming miliation is usually considered an intolerable abuse
supposed to achieve, and what effects does it have? or even a violation of human dignity; accordingly, if
Why are such practices widespread even in societies I take pleasure in such actions, I should be ashamed
that place great emphasis on dignity and respect? Are of myself.
But what is it that makes humiliation so repug-
nant? It’s the painful knowledge of the power and vi-
olence of the public gaze – a gaze that can’t be cast
An emotion of immense off, that burrows under the skin and clings to the very
body of the shamed individual. When other people
force and potency that has witness individual mistakes or violations of social
deadly potential norms, it churns up feelings of shame, and the more
a person values others’ estimation of them, the great-
er the shame they feel.
the “dark Middle Ages” in fact alive and well? Or is A child who steals a piece of bubble gum despite
the bright, enlightened, sophisticated modern era ex- knowing that this is forbidden may secretly feel
ercising its own particular will to humiliate and in- ashamed. If you were to catch the child in the act and
venting new methods of shaming to go with it? inform their parents, they wouldn’t even need to
Public humiliation is always a demonstration of scold the child: “You should be ashamed!” to evoke
power: By forcing others to their knees in front of that emotion. Being exposed for all to see is enough
onlookers, social protagonists reinforce their claim to to make the child blush and leave him or her want-
an elevated position of power. “Power,” argued sociol- ing only one thing: to escape the humiliating gaze of
ogist Max Weber, “is the probability that one actor those present.
within a social relationship will be in a position to This is why psychologists refer to shame as a so-
carry out his own will despite resistance, regardless cial or interpersonal emotion. In most cases, shame
of the basis on which this probability rests.” is felt in the presence of others. In fact, in one sur-
It was in this sense that Izabel Laxamana’s father vey, only a sixth of interviewees said they experi-
exercised power over his daughter. He had forbidden enced shame as a private emotion. The very social
her to post selfies on the internet, and when she de- embeddedness of shame makes it powerful and dan-
fied him, he punished her with a humiliating act that gerous, and some people are willing to risk life and
he documented for public viewing. Those who oper- limb for fear of being shamed. In Erich Kästner’s
ate their own online pillories aspire to hold power classic children’s novel The Flying Classroom, for in-
over people who they view as morally or socially in- stance, young Uli jumps from a tall ladder to prove
ferior to themselves, a feeling that the act of sham- that he isn’t a coward. His schoolmates had frequent-
ing serves to reinforce. ly teased him for his lack of courage, making him
Shame, as the philosophers of antiquity already turn “bright red.” While his leap did land him in the
knew, is a feeling of immense force and potency. It hospital with serious injuries, it also silenced his
can be deadly, and it leaves an indelible mark on taunters and tormentors.
those who survive it. Anyone who has ever experi- First published in 1933, Kästner’s book is set in a
enced deep, intense shame will struggle to free them- world where cowardice was one of the worst viola-
12 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18tions of norms for young males. Boys had to be cou- the destructive power of social and political humili-
rageous and ready to prove it. If they didn’t, they ations with equally strong instruments for protecting
were subjected to contempt, rejection and even ex- individual honor and dignity.
clusion from the group. Uli had accepted and inter- However, contemporary societies continue to use
nalized this, and doing something daring was the shame and humiliation as a means to exert social and
only thing he could think of to bring an end to the political power – and some even view them as con-
teasing. This wasn’t the case for Izabel Laxamana: structive methods. If, for instance, a person is lam-
she was presumably not ashamed of having ignored basted in public for falling short of the normative ex-
her father’s ban by posting pictures of herself scant- pectations of their group, this does more than simply
ily clad online. His perceptions of morals and decen- punish them. It also serves to reintegrate the individ-
cy weren’t necessarily the same as hers. It was the ual into the group, provided, of course, that the in-
punishment exacted by her father that shamed her, dividual regrets what he or she has done. Stigmatiz-
and in particular the public dissemination of the film ing humiliation, on the other hand, serves to exclude
he made of it. an individual with no chance of return.
These and many other examples clearly demon- When German Wehrmacht soldiers cut off the
strate the effects of public humiliation. Beyond illus- beards of Jewish men in occupied Poland, or when
trating the perpetrator’s power to document and re- Serbian soldiers and militiamen intentionally and
buke what they consider to be a violation of a norm systematically raped Muslim women in the Bosnian
or expectation, the examples also demonstrate the War of the 1990s, the point was neither punishment
power of witnesses, whether real or imagined. The nor reintegration. Rather, the aim was to demonstrate
drama of power and impotence, shame and disgrace, the soldiers’ power and denigrate members of anoth-
perpetrators and victims, is always played out on a er social group to such an extent as to permanently
public stage. The audience can approve of the humil- damage or even destroy their sense of dignity.
iation and exacerbate it – but they can also refuse to Both forms are planned and coordinated, and both
do so. Power relationships can be reversed, and the take place in public. They are neither spontaneous nor
shamers can be shamed. Modern history provides random. Rather, they adhere to well-thought-out
plentiful examples of such instances: from gradual scripts and have a ritualistic structure. In this sense,
distancing to widespread criticism, from individual one can speak of humiliation as a form of politics. It
protest to collective revolt. is a strategy that serves to reinforce power, that in-
It is often said that the experiences of the Second volves the participation of numerous actors, and that
World War did much to promote resistance to humil- takes places in various settings and situations.
iation and shaming and that they inspired a culture But targeted, deliberate acts of humiliation aren’t
of respect and mutual recognition. In fact, the pre- the prerogative of institutions like the family,
amble to the United Nations Charter of 1945 profess- schools or the military, where they are primarily
es a belief in “the dignity and worth of the human meted out from above. They also rear their ugly
person.” In 1948, Article 1 of the Universal Declara- head among students or work colleagues. Such prac-
tion of Human Rights declared: “All human beings tices are even common in international politics,
Photo: picture-alliance/AP/Winfried Rothermel
are born free and equal in dignity and rights.” Ger- where the logic of power, honor and respect is played
many’s Basic Law, approved in 1949, proclaims hu- out even more unabashedly than in social relation-
man dignity as an inviolable, fundamental right and ships. If a country fails to give satisfaction and apol-
obligates the state to observe and protect it. ogize after injuring the honor of another, war can
However, the notion of human dignity and the be the end result, as happened between France and
rights of individuals founded on it have been around Prussia in 1870.
for a long time. In the 18th century, human dignity If the war ends in a peace agreement that humili-
was used as an argument by those who criticized de- ates the loser, as was the case with Germany, Austria
grading forms of punishment and demanded their re- and Hungary in 1919, renewed hostilities become more
moval from the legal system. From this perspective, likely. In such instances, politicians and diplomats
the modern world appears as a place that confronts would be wise to tread lightly and avoid humiliating
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 13their counterparts. On the other hand, they may the entire nation, and the honor of the state – for-
choose to play with fire and inflict a dose of humili- merly held by its rulers – passed over to the nation.
ation in order to secure an advantage in domestic or Consequently, violations of this honor affected each
international power struggles. and every citizen.
An incident from 2010 illustrates this well. When This was why the Turkish government could de-
a Turkish television channel aired a series that de- clare that the humiliation of its representative had
nounced Israeli soldiers as child murderers, Israel’s humiliated the nation itself, which in turn explains
Deputy Foreign Minister, Danny Ayalon, summoned why the Israeli minister apologized to both the Turk-
the Turkish ambassador. Before the meeting, Ayalon ish ambassador and the Turkish people. This isn’t the
told the reporters present that they would be witness- only example of how modern international relation-
es to an act of symbolic humiliation: the ambassador ships often play out in front of a large, deeply inter-
would sit on a lower chair, the Turkish flag would fall, ested public and are thus often highly dramatized.
When diplomacy is conducted in front of cameras,
humiliating gestures and words take on a force that
was unthinkable in times when politics were shroud-
A foreign diplomat is ed in secrecy.
Processes of nationalization and democratization
degraded by an ally in front have been just as important for the international pol-
of rolling cameras itics of humiliation as the media that disseminate and
comment on it. Media outlets are increasingly be-
coming actors in their own right: they can identify
and the Israelis wouldn’t grant the diplomats so violations of norms, sniff out and hype up alleged
much as a smile. The deliberate staging wasn’t lost humiliations, and demand corresponding sanctions.
on the Turkish government, which responded with a They can also dish out humiliation themselves as
sharply worded protest and declared that the entire they mock and caricature both foreign and domestic
Turkish people had been humiliated. President Ab- politicians, dragging them through the mud.
dullah Gül demanded that Ayalon publicly apologize, Current events continue to provide us with new
which he refused to do. It was only following the in- examples of this. In 2016, for instance, German tele-
tervention of Israeli President Shimon Peres – who vision personality Jan Böhmermann’s poem of smears
feared for the then positive relationship with one of against Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdoǧan made
Israel’s most important regional military allies – that waves internationally, causing Turkey’s Deputy Prime
Ayalon brought himself to declare that it was “not Minister Numan Kurtulmuş to declare that the poem
his way to insult foreign diplomats.” was a defamation of all 78 million Turkish citizens.
Yet this wasn’t enough for the Turkish govern- Erdoǧan not only brought a private libel suit against
ment and, after another day of frantic diplomatic the satirist, but also wanted to see him prosecuted
back and forth, Ankara’s ambassador finally received under Section 103 of the German Penal Code, which
a letter that read as follows: “I had no intention of prohibits defaming organs and representatives of
Photo: picture-alliance/AP/Winfried Rothermel
humiliating you personally and apologize for the way foreign states.
the demarche was handled and perceived. Please con- Unlike the laws on the books, which make a clear
vey this to the Turkish people, for whom we have distinction between insult and slander (but contain
great respect.” no provisions on humiliation and shaming), our day-
Ayalon used diplomatic language, a lexicon that to-day language doesn’t clearly differentiate between
has been developing since the Early Modern Era. A these practices of degradation and debasement. On
relatively new addition to the repertoire, however, the one hand, this is due to hybrid types of castiga-
was the reference to “the (Turkish) people,” who tion that straddle the lines between the two, which
were to be informed of the apology and for whom are increasing in both form and frequency. When
Ayalon expressed his respect. After the French Revo- the forces that bind social groups are weakened and
lution, the affairs of the state became the affairs of people are given more liberty to choose between dif-
14 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18VIEWPOINT_History
ferent forms of belonging, classic methods of sham-
ing lose their old power and sources of legitimacy. At
the same time, new institutions and associations arise
and create new practices of degradation, often under
the auspices of rituals of initiation.
It isn’t always possible to detect straight away
whether such practices serve as normative, integra-
tive sanctions or as acts of categorical exclusion.
Homosexuals may be openly shamed if their sexual
orientation is treated as an illness to be cured, as was
once common practice and remains so in many coun-
tries even today. However, some societies also treat
homosexuals in a humiliating, radically stigmatizing
and exclusionary manner.
On the other hand, language changed consider-
ably over the course of the 19th and 20th centuries.
The issue of dignity came to the fore, while the con- THE AUTHOR
cept of honor, once a guiding principle, lost its at-
traction. Accordingly, humiliation became a more Ute Frevert, born in 1954, is one of Germany’s most
common topic in public discourse while talk of prominent historians. She has taught modern history
shame was relegated to secondary importance. De- in Berlin, Konstanz and Bielefeld. She was a professor
spite this, it is often difficult to distinguish between at Yale University from 2003 to 2007 and has headed the
the meanings of honor and dignity. When the Ger- Center for the History of Emotions at the Max Planck
man Federal Court of Justice ruled in 1957 that hon- Institute for Human Development in Berlin since 2008.
or and decency were aspects of the “inalienable dig- She was awarded the German Research Foundation’s
nity of the human person, bestowed upon them at Leibniz Prize in 1998, and received the Federal Cross
birth,” it was repeating the prevailing view held by of Merit, First Class in 2016.
more people than just legal experts. However, in do-
ing so, the court also recapitulated that view’s lack
of conceptual precision, which makes it nearly im-
possible to draw a clear dividing line between sham-
ing and humiliation.
Yet this dividing line does exist in the perception
of emotions that accompany such practices. A person
who is shamed for violating the norms of their group
or collective might feel a mixture of shame and re-
gret, provided that they have emotional ties to these
norms and to the group that adheres to them. But a
person who is humiliated, stigmatized and excluded
because they are different would feel embarrassed
only if they considered their own otherness as some-
thing negative.
Photo: David Ausserhofer
In this sense, an individual might feel ashamed of
their social or ethnic heritage just as they might be
of their sexual orientation or physical appearance. Yet
this person won’t feel regret for these things, as they
have all come about without any action on their part
and can’t be controlled.
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 15Post from the Irish Sea
Braving the Forces
of Nature
Max Planck scientists cooperate with partners in more than 110 countries
worldwide. Here they relate their personal experiences and impressions.
Marine biologist Greta Giljan is a doctoral student at the Max Planck Institute
for Marine Microbiology in Bremen. She reports on a research expedition
to the Irish Sea, on heavy storms, problems with equipment weighing
several tons, and crew unity.
When I look out at the clear Irish Sea from aboard the British research vessel Cefas Endeavour,
it’s difficult to believe that there are millions of microscopic creatures living in it. These guaran-
tee that fundamental processes and cycles on our planet function properly, and that’s why I find
them so interesting.
With my deep-sea incubator, I collect and incubate them in their natural environment – the
Irish Sea – at depths of up to 100 meters. But this requires painstaking dexterity: when we low-
er the device, which weighs just under a ton, it is connected to the research vessel only by a steel
rope, a cable and a cable winch. There were powerful storms for the first eleven days after de-
parture, so there was a substantial risk that these connections would snap and that we could lose
Graphic: iStockphoto
the incubator, or that it would smash against the ship’s hull.
All we could do was wait – and anyone who knows how valuable ship time is understands how
frustrating this can be. Ultimately, I’m on my own, one of many marine researchers on board.
And I’m glad I was able to come along, but irretrievable time was lost due to the storm. And even
16 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18RUBRIK TITEL
Greta Giljan, 25, stu
died biotechnolog
Darmstadt, Germ y in
an y before coming
to the
Max Planck Instit
ute for Marine Mi
crobiology
to complete her
bachelor’s thesis,
which was
followed by her m
aster’s thesis. Sin
ce Septem-
ber 2016, Giljan ha
s been working on
her
doctoral thesis wi
th Bernhard Fuch
s in the
Department of M
olecular Ecology
, where she
researches the m
etabolic ac tivity
of a variety
of marine populat
ions with small ge
nomes.
It is thought that
these population
s can
express only a few
metabolic enzym
es them-
selves and are th
erefore dependen
t on absorb -
ing nutrients fro
m the water colum
n. In 2018,
Greta Giljan is als
o serving as the M
ax Planck
PhDnet treasurer.
an attempt to plot the route of the ship so that we would avoid the storm wasn’t fruitful. De-
spite this setback and my dwindling motivation, I wasn’t ready to give up yet. Heartened by the
encouraging words of the crew, who initially doubted that deployment would be possible, I
hadn’t lost the hope of calm seas. At sea, you stick together.
And then the weather suddenly took a turn for the better. Now everything needs to run smooth-
ly, every plan needs to work in order for the colossus to finally be lowered into the depths. But
only now, in the hands-on situation, do we realize that, despite all our planning, communica-
tions with the device don’t work! Fortunately, I’m in constant e-mail contact with our techni-
cians at the Max Planck Institute, who can give me important tips thanks to their many years
of experience. What on earth did researchers do in the past, without the internet?
I enjoy optimal conditions for my work as a marine researcher at the Institute in Bremen. I am
fulfilling a childhood dream. As a child, I watched numerous documentaries about fish and the
oceans, and I found the work on the research ships, in particular, so fascinating that I wanted
to go along one day, too. All in all, it’s even more diverse than I had imagined. After all, we en-
vironmental researchers aren’t constantly outdoors in the wild, but spend a large part of our
time at the computer. Data needs to be analyzed, visualized and evaluated – and this is where
the real core of our work begins: delving deeper into the data and discovering what information
it contains about our global material cycles.
Despite my fascination for marine research, it’s difficult to make plans for the future. Of course
Photo: Private collection
it’s all incredibly interesting, but the experience gained as a Max Planck doctoral student can
also be put to good use in other professional fields. For example, the ability to organize oneself
in everyday research, to convey newly gained insights, and sometimes to take a different per-
spective on things. At the moment, though, I’m focusing on analyzing my hard-won samples.
Then I’ll explore which waters I can lower my incubator into next – let’s hope for a calm sea.
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 17Every Room
Is Its Own Culture
Since 2015, around 1.4 million refugees have applied for asylum in Germany. They would
like to find sanctuary or a new home here. How firm a foothold they gain in their new life
depends on a number of factors. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for the Study
of Religious and Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen are taking a closer look at what needs
and goals the refugees have – and whether these can be fulfilled.
18 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18FOCUS_Migration
TEXT TIM SCHRÖDER
M
any people will remem- personal life story, each with their very Difficult conditions: Refugees who are housed
ber 2015 for a long time own dreams for the future. in factory buildings on the outskirts of the city
are at a disadvantage in many ways. Not only is
to come. In the course of The course of their future life in
there a lack of quiet and privacy, but often also
just a few months, Ger- Germany began taking shape with the of shopping opportunities, medical services
many and many other first shelter they were placed in. Many and volunteer helpers.
European nations experienced a refu- refugees lived in large halls in which
gee influx unlike any seen since the sleeping quarters were separated from “Overall, Germany did a good job find-
Second World War. In Germany alone, one another only by simple partitions. ing shelter for all these people within a
the number of asylum applications that Sometimes more than ten people had short period of time – everyone had
year approached 500,000 – from Syria, to share living space. There was con- food to eat and a roof over their head,”
Iraq, Afghanistan and other countries. stant noise because the separate com- says Shahd Wari at the Max Planck In-
Photo: Reto Klar
That’s 500,000 cherished dreams of a partments weren’t allowed to have ceil- stitute for the Study of Religious and
better future; 500,000 men, women ings. Other refugees were sheltered in Ethnic Diversity in Göttingen. “The
and children, each with their very own apartments, providing greater privacy. numerous initiatives of administrative
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 19FOCUS_Migration
» The feeling of arbitrariness and powerlessness is one
of the biggest problems for many asylum seekers.
bodies and of the many volunteers the past two years. The researchers ac- Shahd Wari. “The personal backgrounds
achieved a great deal.” However, the re- companied asylum seekers in their day- of the people differ greatly. This means
searcher and her colleagues at the Insti- to-day life and interviewed them. They that there can be no one-size-fits-all
tute are interested in the details. Above spoke with the operators of refugee ac- solution if we want to help asylum
all, they want to understand how the commodations and with experts from seekers establish a firm foothold in
asylum seekers themselves perceived government agencies and the adminis- Germany.”
their situation. tration, as well as with social workers This insight seems almost trivial –
In a study financed by the Volkswa- and independent volunteers. after all, it is well known that people
gen Foundation, the researchers inves- differ from one another. Yet the indi-
tigated what needs and goals the refu- THE AUTHORITIES ACKNOWLEDGE viduality of asylum seekers is often giv-
gees have – as well as what their initial ONLY FIVE CATEGORIES en little consideration in day-to-day
conditions were upon arriving in Ger- life. It begins with authorities simplis-
many. Research was initially carried out “Our results are both simple and ex- tically assigning asylum seekers to one
in Göttingen – both the city and the tremely complex: unlike what media of five categories based on nationality,
surrounding district, which together reports suggest, it became clear that gender, age, health and legal status.
have taken in around 1,500 refugees in there isn’t just one kind of refugee,” says These categories are also often used
when placing asylum seekers in refugee
Basic knowledge: Only those who learn German can gain a foothold here. However, asylum accommodations. Such a basis for clas-
seekers aren’t eligible for a paid German course as long as their asylum procedure is still sification is extremely crude and can
pending – which can take months. give rise to conflict.
To give just one specific example
from Göttingen: four women live to-
gether in a room in a collective accom-
modation. Two of them fall into the
same five categories of the classification
system, but their needs for privacy are
very different. One of them would like
to take off her headscarf when she is in
her room, but she’s afraid of being seen
through the window. The operator
therefore placed a privacy film over the
window so no one can see into the
room. The other person, in contrast,
perceives the privacy film, not as some-
thing that protects her privacy, but as
something that limits her ability to
look out the window, and therefore
feels like she is in a prison.
“The goal of our study initially was
to understand the needs and aspira-
tions of asylum seekers. After all, we are
conducting basic research,” explains
Photo: Amac Garbe
Shahd Wari. “On the other hand, our
in-depth insight has led to the develop-
ment of some ideas as to how condi-
tions could be improved.” For example,
20 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18n
io
c at So
u cia
Ed l
Goethe Institute
FABI
Adult Education
Centers Social Workers
West City Center
Volunteering
Migration
Citizens’ Initiatives Center
Conquer Babel
Refugee
Law Clinic
Relig
Helpers Charity Organizations
as Facility Operators
ion
Volunteers
Asylum
Seeker
Religious Communities
Activists (Ditib, St. Godehard)
Foreigners Office
Federal
Employment
Agency Integration
KAZ
Social Administration Council
n
Politicians
io
MUSA
r at
t
is
in
C
Job Center
m
Refugee
u
Mayor
Ad
ltu
Council Sports Clubs
re
City
Council
Department Heads
Politics
Confusing complexity: Asylum seekers are confronted with numerous different contacts. The Göttingen-based research project
clearly showed just how difficult it is for them to understand who is responsible for what.
it would make sense to look beyond the accommodations that more conflicts seekers. And perhaps there was no oth-
five main categories when providing are reported, which is perfectly under- er way to go about it,” says Wari. The
accommodation. standable in light of human nature,” study the researchers now present is a
In this regard, it would help if agen- says Shahd Wari. In one building, there sort of well-paced status quo report.
cy employees were to learn more about were disputes relating to a television In expert interviews with operators
the various social and political back- that had been donated. There was con- and representatives of government
grounds in the countries of origin – and stant commotion in the hallway where agencies, the researchers inquired about
Graphic: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
not just with regard to differences be- the television had been installed. Peo- the financing and organization of the
tween traditional and modern ways of ple came from other parts of the build- accommodations. Focus group discus-
life. It’s also important to consider var- ing at all hours of the day and night, so sions, in turn, provided the researchers
ious social strata and ethnicities that those who wanted to go to bed early with more information about the needs
have conflicts in their country of origin, could hardly get any rest. of the asylum seekers: in these groups,
as can be the case with Kurds and Arabs several asylum seekers met to discuss
in Iraq. This would reduce the potential BOTH SUBJECTIVE IMPRESSIONS their family situation, their concern for
for conflict in the accommodations. AND FACTS ARE IMPORTANT those left behind, and other topics such
In many cases it is a question of pro- as daily life in Germany. The interview-
foundly human characteristics – indi- What’s special about the study of the ers refrained from asking too many
vidual desires that are rarely taken into researchers in Göttingen is that it’s one questions and let the conversation take
consideration in daily life, says Shahd of the first of its kind to use scientific its course.
Wari. For example, in some accommo- interview methods to systematically in- “We also spent a great deal of time
dations, many people must share one vestigate the situation of asylum seek- with individual asylum seekers, went on
kitchen and one set of washing facili- ers. “At the peak of the refugee crisis, excursions with them or accompanied
ties – people with very different habits many decisions were made on an ad them on visits to the doctor or appoint-
and needs when it comes to order and hoc basis without undertaking a precise ments with the authorities,” says Shahd
cleanliness. “It is precisely in collective analysis of the situation of the asylum Wari. In the terminology of social scien-
1 | 18 MaxPlanckResearch 21Access to Bathroom
Privacy
Single Room
Sports Invisibility to the Outside
German Courses Leisure Activities
Normality
Activity Sex Conservation of Values and
Family Hierarchies
Own Housing
Prayer Room
Courses
Shisha & Cigarettes
Human Rights
Education Decision Making
Jobs Roof
Community Room Respect for Legal Status
Privacy Respect & Dignity
# of Persons/WC
Shutters Family Formation
Financial Security
Electric Kettle
Autonomy
Translation Certainty
Public Transportation Internet
Shopping Information Family Unification
Driving License Mobility
Family Security
Cooking
Money Language
Resources Doctor‘s Appointments/Ambulance
(material/ immaterial) Communication
Health
Bikes
Donations Neighbourhood Psychological Support
Food
Condoms Physical Integrity
Social Networks
tists, this is known as the hanging-out tive. Asylum seekers have different gated to remain in the location to
method – spending time together to chances of being recognized and al- which they were originally assigned.
learn more about the needs and view- lowed to stay in Germany depending Lower Saxony imposes no such residen-
points of others. “Now, when I walk on their country of origin. “The situa- cy requirement. Moreover, many new
through Göttingen, I often meet people tion is also difficult because the refugees rules have been added since 2015, in
who greet me and ask if I can help with must sometimes wait several months part due to new statutes. As a result,
this or that, for example translating a for a hearing with the federal authori- asylum seekers can be treated different-
Graphic: Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity
letter from the authorities.” ties,” says Shahd Wari. “During this ly depending on which set of rules is
time, they aren’t allowed to take Ger- being applied. “It leads to frustration
A GOOD START DEPENDS man courses. It’s difficult to make one’s and uncertainty when one asylum seek-
ON CHANCE way in a foreign country without suffi- er is placed in a worse position than an-
cient knowledge of the local language.” other although they are both in the
The researchers spent an entire year on Another point of concern for many same situation or live in the same ac-
the study and also attended many pub- asylum seekers is the feeling that they commodation,” says Shahd Wari.
lic events on the topic of asylum seek- aren’t in control of their lives and are For example, in some cases, asylum
ers. During this time, they learned that more or less governed by outside forc- seekers had different amounts of mon-
the desires of many asylum seekers – a es. “To a great extent, a good start in ey allotted to them each month: “We
job, a place in a kindergarten, an apart- Germany depends on chance,” the re- know families for whom this makes it
ment – are, of course, the same as those searcher says. difficult to plan a monthly budget for
shared by many Germans. There are a variety of reasons for food or clothing.” Those affected are
In addition, asylum seekers have this: for one, the regulations vary from bothered primarily by the fact that they
problems that few Germans have first- one German state to the next, and can’t comprehend the reasons for it.
hand experience with – primarily as re- sometimes even from one city to the The basis for calculation is often not
gards the enormous uncertainty in- next. In some federal states, for in- clear. In other cases, detailed explana-
volved, such as the long-term perspec- stance, official asylum seekers are obli- tions are available only in German.
22 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 18You can also read
