Prof. Dr. Viktoria Tkaczyk (Media and Knowledge Technologies, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin)
Moderation: Prof. Dr. Lena van der Hoven (Musicology, Universität Bern)
Public lecture: 5 Mai 2026, 06.15–07:45pm, Unitobler, Lerchenweg 36, room F005
Colloquium: 6 Mai 2026, 10.15am–05:00pm, UniS, Schanzeneckstrasse 1, room B-105
ECTS: 1.5 (Pflicht- oder Wahlpflichtbereich ICS / Wahlpflichtbereich GS, SLS, SINTA, open to faculty members, (post)doctoral students, advanced MA students at the University of Bern and further interested parties.
Language: English/Deutsch
Registration: from now on via KSL und E-Mail to michael.toggweiler@unibe.ch
Public lecture in collaboration with Schweizerische Musikforschende Gesellschaft (SMG)
A Substance without Qualities? Paraffin and Its Many Stories
This talk explores the material biography of paraffin in the modern era from two complementary perspectives. First, it traces paraffin’s trajectory within the history-of-science, from early chemical definitions and industrial production—derived from wood tar, coal, and petroleum—to its diverse applications from the mid-eighteenth century onwards. Focusing on paraffin wax as an embedding medium in histology and a material for crafting moulage casts in dermatology, the talk highlights its role as a seemingly inert yet resilient substance in the life sciences around 1900.
Challenging this notion of inertness, the second part of the talk turns to recent ecological research that reveals paraffin’s environmental persistence and toxicity. Poorly biodegradable, paraffin accumulates harmful compounds and enters rivers, lakes, and oceans through sewage systems, posing significant ecological threat. To address paraffin’s durability and agency, the talk juxtaposes the history-of-science account with an experimental counter-narrative that gives voice to paraffin’s long-term drift through the world’s oceans today and retells its story from the material’s own point of view.
Colloquium
For Postdocs, PhD students, advanced Master students of the University of Bern, as well as all interested parties
Part 1 of the colloquium is dedicated to the discussion of the lecture and the texts suggested by the guest. In Part 2, a core group present their PhDor postdoctoral projects, speaking for about 20 minutes (English) on how the concept of "Materiality/Mediality" and related concepts/problems connect to their research questions, and which aspects of the texts are of particular relevance to their own work. The presenters raise questions for the discussion with their peers, which should contribute to the development of their thesis. Finally, in Part 3, the conversation will open up again so that the other PhD or advanced MA-students have an opportunity to address issues related to their projects.
For further information plese click on the picture.
