Academic Book Project “Us and Them”

24 07 2025

Dear PhD Students,

The concepts of “Us” and “Them” are deeply embedded in human thought, shaping our perceptions of identity, belonging, and alterity throughout human history. These terms allow us to construct social, cultural, and political boundaries, bringing a sense of order to a chaotic reality.

Some examples for key questions we would like to encourage:

1. How do we define and perceive “ourselves” through “others” or vice versa?
2. How can interdisciplinary research contribute to addressing the challenges posed by this dichotomy?
3. What new challenges does the development of AI bring to the “Us and Them” dichotomy?

Submissions should include:

1. A title and an abstract of no more than 300 words.
2. The author’s name, affiliation, and a brief biography (max. 150 words).
3. The paper (length: 8,000-12,000 words; quotation style: Chicago (18 ed.))

Key Dates:

1. Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025
2. Notification of Acceptance: January 31, 2026
3. Publication Date: 2026

For submissions or inquiries, please contact directly: x0unme1@uni-heidelberg.de