‘Fanciful associations’

This article concerns the expression ‘logical phallusies’, imputed to Jacques Derrida by Barry Smith in 1992 in a letter arguing against the proposed award to Derrida of an honorary doctorate at Cambridge. Derrida insisted that this expression appeared nowhere in his oeuvre – it has never been found – and yet it has endured, in discussions of Derrida’s work and general legacy, more than any other aspect of Derrida’s ‘Cambridge Affair’. I address two cases of the expression’s weird stubbornness, arguing that its misattribution to Derrida is a gesture which Derrida’s work guards against and undermines – even deconstructs – in advance. The article sounds a note of caution about the ‘post-theoretical’ practice of assimilating philosophers and theorists to the humanities via the decontextualised appropriation of putatively synecdochic buzzwords.

Bọlanle Awẹ: The Matriarch of Feminist History

At the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the University of Ibadan, famous historian, Professor Bọlanle Awẹ was conferred with a well-deserved honorary doctorate degree. For both Professor Awẹ and even Nigeria’s premier university, this great honor is a fitting tribute to mark the anniversary of the institution of learning that has been central to the intellectual history of Nigeria. The University of Ibadan has done well to select Professor Awẹ for this honor. Her earnestness and intelligence are beyond doubts. There is no gainsaying disputing her warmth, her magnetism. I have known her since the 1970s—she remains consistent in the exhibition of positive values, in the promotion of Yoruba culture, and the advancement of the scholarly enterprise.

John Morton Coles (1930-2020). From Palaeolithic Studies to Wetland Archaeology. A Commemoration

This article is dedicated to John Morton Coles (1930-2020), Professor of European Prehistory at Cambridge University between 1980 and 1986, Fellow of the British Academy, author of the highly regarded scientific works, teacher and editor. He dealt with several archaeological periods and was involved in different field projects and conducted numerous excavations. At Cambridge, in the Department of Archaeology, John Coles collaborated with such significant figures as Professors Grahame Clark and Glyn Daniel. John Coles devoted much of his time to experimental and wetland archaeology as well as to prehistoric rock carvings in Sweden and Norway. John Coles was awarded an honorary doctorate by Uppsala University. He was the advisor of Biskupin’s archaeological open-air Museum in Poland.

James Croll and 1876: an exceptional year for a ‘singularly modest man’

ABSTRACT James Croll left school at the age of 13 years, yet while a janitor in Glasgow he published a landmark paper on astronomically-related climate change, claimed as ‘the most important discovery in paleoclimatology’, and which brought him to the attention of Charles Darwin, William Thomson and John Tyndall, amongst others. By 1867 he was persuaded to become Secretary and Accountant of the newly established Geological Survey of Scotland in Edinburgh, and a year after the appearance of his keynote volume Climate and time in 1875, he was lauded with an honorary doctorate from Scotland's oldest university, Fellowship of the Royal Society of London and Honorary Membership of the New York Academy of Sciences. Using a range of archival and published sources, this paper explores aspects of his ‘journey’ and the background to the award of these major accolades. It also discusses why he never became a Fellow of his national academy, the Royal Society of Edinburgh. In the world of 19th-Century science, Croll was not unusual in being both an autodidact and of humble origins, nor was he lacking in support for his endeavours. It is possible that a combination of Croll's modesty and innovative genius fostered advancement, though this did not hinder a willingness to engage in vigorous argument.

Slovak Language Teaching in Italy in the Context of Slovak-Italian Cultural Relationships

The initial part of the paper describes the history of Slovak language and culture teaching in Italy, namely, Slovak lectorates at University of Naples L´Orientale, University of Rome Sapienza, and University of Bologna in Forlì. The central part of the paper discusses the foundation, development and activities of the most recent lectorate, founded in 2006, and currently affiliated with the Department of Interpreting and Translating at University of Bologna in Forlì. The paper mentions the circumstances related to the foundation of the lectorate, especially the message of Alexander Dubček (1921 – 1992) upon whom University of Bologna conferred the honorary doctorate in 1988. The paper discusses various activities of the lectorate (language teaching, research and publishing, promoting Slovakia and Slovak culture). It mentions the collaboration with Slovak and Italian institutions, including the Embassy of Slovak Republic in Rome, Slovak Institute in Rome and Honorary Consulate of Slovak Republic in Forlì. The final part of the paper mentions the current situation and perspectives of Slovak studies in Italy.

“All Things Considered, a Little Tired”

After his retirement, Barth traveled for the first time to give lectures and public discussion in the United States, where the public interest was enormous. He also received several international honors, including an honorary doctorate from Sorbonne University. In September 1966, Barth traveled to Rome, where he met with the Curia and the Pope. Barth reconciled with Emil Brunner and became friends with the Catholic writer Carl Zuckmayer. During his final years, Barth experienced a steady decline in health. Charlotte von Kirschbaum developed dementia and in 1966 was moved to a clinic; after that the relationship between Karl and Nelly Barth eased. In 1967, Barth decided to end the work on his Church Dogmatics and published the fragments of CD IV/4. Barth died on December 10, 1968, in his sleep at his home in Basel.

Das japanische StGB 日本刑法

This German translation of the Japanese Penal Code also comprises the original Japanese texts. Both wordings are printed on opposite pages for easy comparison. In addition to that, the book includes a German language explanation presenting the historical and systematic context of the Japanese Penal Code. It is recommended for all lawyers and companies working with Japan and needing precise legal knowledge. This translation of the Japanese Penal Code, published after a long period of time, is intended to meet the pent-up demand. The translator is a scholar for criminal law in Japan and has published several books on Japanese criminal law in German. The University of Göttingen has awarded him an honorary doctorate.

Doktorat honoris causa i tradycja uniwersytecka

The article is devoted to the analysis of the role of honoris causa doctorate in academic culture. The history of the honorary doctorate is reconstructed to a certain extent and the difference between the research doctorate and honoris causa is considered. Furthermore, the author focuses on the controversial issues connected with the honoris causa, including cases of buying or rejecting the honor as well as various political contexts of the relevant decision-making process. The analysis of the honorary doctorate focuses on the conviction that it is the topmost acknowledgement of the values and contribution of the society of the person thus honored.

1958-1973

This part narrates how, when anti-Semitism reared its ugly head in Poland during the 1950s, the author fled in 1958 to West Germany, another one of the striking twists in his development. Thanks to his connections with numerous German writers and key people in the mass media, he was able to establish himself quickly on the cultural scene. Indeed, it is astonishing how fast he became famous if not notorious. Through his reviews, books, and radio and television shows, he focused all his efforts on re-establishing the great humanistic tradition of German literature and became the spokesman for the renewal of this tradition on the contemporary scene. In 1972, he received the first honor of his life: an honorary doctorate of the University of Uppsala.