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Shaked Haran in Innsbruck: When the law fails

7/18/2024

On Wednesday, July 10, the Israeli lawyer Shaked Haran visited the University of Innsbruck. As part of a lecture organized by the Austria Israel Academic Network Innsbruck AIANI, she reported on the fate of the Israeli hostages and, in particular, her brother-in-law Tal Shoham, who has been held in the Gaza Strip since 7 October 2023.

The importance of international law

Shaked Haran chose the title "When the law fails: perspectives of an Israeli lawyer and hostage relative" for her presentation. In impressive words, she described the reality of her family after October 7 and described the far-reaching effects of the terrorist act. At the same time, she emphasized the crucial importance of international law and appealed for international solidarity.

Appeal to Austria and the international community

The lecture demonstrated how a region is plunged into a constant state of conflict in the absence of a supranational authority. At the same time, it highlighted the fundamental importance of law and order for the survival and prosperity of a society. This made Shaked Haran's final appeal to Austria and the entire international community to uphold international law and ensure peace and security for all people in the region all the more urgent.

AIANI REPORT: Rachel Kontorovich Rosner (PhD Candidate, Philosophy, Bar-Ilan University, Israel)

7/15/2024

AIANI REPORT

I was pleased and honored to participate in the July-4-6 2024 International Conference, “Adorno’s Sociology,” organized by Innsbruck Professor Frank Welz and hosted by the University of Innsbruck, at the Hotel Grauer Baer in Innsbruck’s historic Old Town. Frank was a gracious and welcoming host, and the participants of the conference were of the highest academic caliber. Bringing together Adorno scholars from around the globe was a rare experience of academic exchange, learning, and community. The presentations and keynote speakers brought many new ideas and added much creative inspiration for my own future research. Given the current Gaza war and global situation, as an Israeli scholar I especially appreciated the academic excellence fostered at the conference.
On the final day of the conference in the morning session I presented the paper, “Adorno and the Question of Theology.” My paper discussed the question of how best to understand Adorno’s abundant yet puzzling use of theological language. Is it mere rhetorical flourish, or does it have a deeper bearing on his philosophy? I first reviewed three influential views on the topic—that Adorno used theological language only rhetorically; that his philosophy evinces an “Inverted” Theology; and that his philosophy is really an example of Negative Theology. My presentation argued that Adorno’s core, non-foundationalist model for philosophy, what he calls the “constellation,” points beyond these three readings. More than this, understanding his theological usages by the logic of the constellation prefigures pressing topics at the forefront of Critical Theory today: as Jurgen Habermas recently put it, “How to save the truth content of religious traditions for the sake of secular modernity while denying at the same time its very foundation in religious belief?”
While my stay in beautiful Innsbruck was too brief, it was enough to know that it is a place I would love to come back to, and not just for the beautiful views. The conference demonstrated that the University of Innsbruck is a vital hub for international and regional excellence and of the highest academic standards.

Rachel Kontorovich Rosner
PhD Candidate, Philosophy, Bar-Ilan University, Israel
Research Fellow, The Van Leer Jerusalem Institute, Israel

Conference "Who knows what actually happened? Healers and shamanistic practicesin historical and archaeological evidence.

7/5/2024

The Institute of Archaeologies, Department of Medieval and Modern Archaeology at the University of Innsbruck and the Association of Urban Archaeology Hall i.T. organized a conference on 21 and 22 June 2024 on the topic "Who knows what actually happened? Healers and shamanistic practices in historical and archaeological evidence".

Ten speakers from six nations (Austria, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Israel and the USA) presented their current results from archaeology, ethnology, theology, medicine and history and answered questions from the audience on June 21, 2024 in the Urban Archaeology Hall i.T. in Hasegg Castle in Hall in Tirol.

On 22 June, the program included an excursion to the Gurgltal miners' world in Tarrenz with the Museum of the Healer and the Winkler Pharmacy Museum in Innsbruck. The international colloquium aimed to provide an overview of archaeological and historical evidence and finds in the context of healers and healing practices from stone age until 20th century, primarily in Europe. Dubious findings were also discussed and debated.
The interesting presentations and informative contributions made the conference an extremely exciting, instructive and insightful event for all participants.

Thanks to the financial support of AIANI - Austria-Israel Academic Network Innsbruck. So it was also possible to invite Leore Grosman (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel) to Tyrol. In her lecture "A 12,000 year old Shaman burial from the Southern Levant (Israel)", she reported on a burial in the Hilazon Tachtit cave in Western Galilee, Israel from the late Natufian period, which is unique due to the number and type of grave goods and probably refers to a shaman with a special social status.
A total of 54 people from Austria, Italy, Germany, Denmark, Israel and the USA took part. This provided a wonderful opportunity for mutual acquaintance, lively scientific exchange, international networking, new project ideas and future cooperation in research work.

Univ.-Prof. Dr. Harald Stadler

Shaked Haran in Innsbruck: When the law fails

The importance of international law

Appeal to Austria and the international community

AIANI REPORT: Rachel Kontorovich Rosner (PhD Candidate, Philosophy, Bar-Ilan University, Israel)

Conference "Who knows what actually happened? Healers and shamanistic practicesin historical and archaeological evidence.

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