From Ruins to Resilience: A Research Stay at the IAI in Berlin

IAI, Berlin

In June, I had the opportunity to do a research stay at the Ibero-Amerikanisches Institut (IAI) in Berlin, a unique, multidisciplinary research center dedicated to the humanities, cultural and social sciences, with a particular focus on Germany's relations with Latin America, the Caribbean, Spain and Portugal. My stay was funded by the Institute and was part of my broader research project "From Ruins to Resilience: Digital Historical Approach to Natural Disasters in the Global South (1755–1800)".

The main aim of my stay was to further develop the state of research and conduct an extensive literature review to support the conceptual core of my research. Before arriving in Berlin, I had already compiled the historical sources and completed the digital methodology component. The rich intellectual and bibliographical environment of the IAI was therefore an ideal place to focus on refining the theoretical framework — particularly in relation to ecocriticism and the study of humanitarian crises in the Atlantic islands.

The Institute’s extensive and diverse collection proved to be one of the most valuable aspects of the residency. It provided access to rare and regionally diverse materials, including Portuguese-language publications, which are often difficult to access simultaneously from Brazil and Portugal. This allowed me to examine the specific historical and ecological contexts of my case study regions: Madeira, the Azores, Santa Catarina, São Tomé and Cabo Verde.

Thanks to the resources of the Institute and the stimulating interdisciplinary environment, I was not only able to achieve my original goals, but also to broaden the scope of my conceptual framework. I leave Berlin with a stronger foundation for the next phases of my project and a deeper appreciation for the kind of scholarly exchange that places like the IAI facilitate.

Call for applications for the year 2026: For 2026, only applications dealing with one of the following topics will be accepted: “Knowledge production and knowledge circulation” and “Cultural production and cultural transfer.” The application deadline is Sunday, August 31, 2025. Applicants will be notified of the results of the selection process by email by the end of November.