The question of belonging is one of the fundamental human experiences. It links the need for community, orientation, and recognition with processes of self-perception and the perception of others. At the same time, many social conflicts arise when identity is defined through exclusion. Who belongs? Who is left out? And how can communities be shaped without creating new forms of exclusion?
These were the questions addressed at the 39th KAAD Annual Academy, held June 11–14, 2026, in Bonn, which brought together approximately 250 scholars, alumni, and guests from academia, the church, and civil society from some fifty countries.
Auxiliary Bishop Dr. Dr. Anton Losinger, the Bishop’s Representative for KAAD, made it clear in his opening address that the search for belonging currently plays a role in many social debates, pointing to global polarization and the drawing of new boundaries. From a Christian perspective, identity must not be defined in opposition to others, for “…it does not arise in opposition to others, but in relationship to God and to one’s fellow human beings.” KAAD President Fr Dr Hans Langendörfer SJ built on this and emphasized that the Annual Academy also sought to analyze “how resentment and arrogance – even extending to destructiveness, malice, and incomprehensible violence – form a toxic connection in the context of self-identification that excludes and marginalizes others, and how this weighs down our present globally.” KAAD Secretary General Dr. Nora Kalbarczyk placed these reflections in the context of KAAD’s international educational work. She emphasized that the “search for belonging” is one of “humanity’s fundamental experiences” and makes it necessary to “better understand the mechanisms of belonging and exclusion.”
The two opening lectures approached this complex of themes from different perspectives. Prof. Dr. Barbara Schellhammer, Professor of Intercultural Social Transformation at the Munich School of Philosophy, approached the topic from a philosophical perspective. She described identity as a fragile balance between rootedness and openness. Problems arise both when people lose all sense of grounding and when they shut themselves off from everything foreign. Identity, she said, is “not some kind of inner core that remains the same despite the changes of time,” but rather “the fragile unity of their differences.”
Dr. David Kaulem, Dean of the Faculty of Educational Science and Leadership at Arrupe Jesuit University in Harare, focused on the political significance of identities and affiliations. He cautioned against viewing ethnic, national, or social differences as immutable facts. Many people view “social differences such as ethnicity, nationality, class, caste, or social roles as something natural, eternal, or inevitable.” Numerous self-conceptions and the boundaries between them are based on precisely this problematic notion.
The forums on the second day of the conference took up the questions raised in the opening presentations and examined them from various societal perspectives. Denise Polaczuk, a scholar of religious studies at Paris-Lodron University in Salzburg, and Dr. Alejandro Pelfini, a sociologist at the Universidad del Salvador in Buenos Aires, examined the political dynamics of inclusion and exclusion. While Denise Polaczuk presented and explained various theoretical approaches to processes of “selfing” and “othering” and how collective identities arise through self-attributions and attributions by others, Alejandro Pelfini focused on contemporary experiences of social crisis. He described the present as a situation marked by several interlocking crises, in which global inequalities, environmental changes, migration, geopolitical conflicts, and the weakening of international institutions interact. Against this backdrop, he discussed the significance of nationalist and identity-based narratives, as well as the impact of digital forms of public communication on processes of social polarization.
KAAD alumna Rosa Zuloeta Bonilla from the Department of Geography at the University of Bonn and Dr Locardia Shayamunda, coordinator of Justitia et Pax in the Archdiocese of Harare, addressed questions of belonging and exclusion from indigenous and ethnic perspectives. Rosa Zuloeta Bonilla presented her research on renewable energy projects among the Shipibo-Konibo in the Peruvian Amazon. Her presentation focused on an expanded understanding of resources that encompasses not only raw materials and technical infrastructure but also knowledge, financing, institutional support, political participation, and decision-making authority. Using case studies from indigenous communities, she explored the interconnections between access to energy, mobility, communication, education, and healthcare, as well as the opportunities for local communities to influence the planning, use, and long-term design of infrastructure projects. Locardia Shayamunda complemented this perspective with her research on land rights of indigenous communities in Zimbabwe. Drawing on her academic work and many years of experience in justice and peace advocacy, she explored the connection between resources, social recognition, and political participation.
The question of who is considered part of a community and under what conditions membership is granted or denied was also the focus of the presentations by Professor Serawit Bekele Debele from the University of Bayreuth and Fabian Ceska from Detox Identity. Serawit Bekele Debele examined the connection between gender politics, belonging, and democratic developments in the Global South. With an eye toward progress in education, political participation, and legal equality for women, she addressed current setbacks as well as the political use of the term “gender ideology”. The focus was on how processes of inclusion and exclusion determine who is considered worthy of protection and whose rights are called into question. Fabian Ceska examined migrant masculinities and the conditions under which notions of masculinity emerge in the context of exclusion, discrimination, and societal expectations. Drawing on digital masculinity communities, he discussed different conceptions of strength, independence, and sovereignty, as well as their connection to experiences of a lack of recognition.
In the afternoon, the discussions continued in a Barcamp titled “Identity in the Mirror of the Crisis.” In self-organized discussion groups, participants explored, among other things, the significance of multilingualism for their own identities, how people move between different linguistic and cultural spaces, and how language is linked to memories, emotions, and cultural self-understanding. Experiences from migration contexts also played a role. The focus was on questions of integration, particularly the question of whether a sense of belonging depends solely on immigrants’ efforts to adapt or whether it also requires changes on the part of the host society. Other discussion groups addressed the political and social conditions for participation. Among other things, the discussion centered on how political structures help determine who gains access to education, health care, or social security. Global debt, international financing conditions, and regional integration processes were also discussed as factors that can influence societal scope for action and collective self-perceptions. Another key focus was on dealing with changes in self-perception. Discussions centered on hybrid and multiple identities, experiences of searching for one’s bearings in different life phases, and the importance of mentoring and personal guidance for educational and career paths. Questions regarding the connection between health and identity were also addressed. Among other things, the discussion focused on the influence of genetic predispositions, illnesses, and medical developments on self-perception, memory, and a sense of belonging. Several groups also explored digital identities and social media, discussing how digital spaces shape a sense of belonging and influence social debates.
Friday evening was dedicated to the musical ceremony. Scholars shaped the program with solo, ensemble, and choral performances drawing from various musical traditions. During the ceremony, long-serving faculty advisors Professor Konrad Vössing and Professor Heinz-Gerhard Justenhoven were awarded the KAAD’s Bene Merenti Medal.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the 15th Peter Hünermann Prize from the KAAD Foundation to the Zimbabwean environmental scientist Dr. Locardia Shayamunda. With this award, the foundation honors her social and church-based work for justice and peace, as well as her commitment to the field of environmental sciences in Zimbabwe. As the coordinator for justice and peace for the Archdiocese of Harare, she combines academic work with practical advocacy for marginalized communities. Locardia Shayamunda teaches at Arrupe Jesuit University and at the Catholic University of Zimbabwe. In his laudatory speech, Dr Marko Kuhn, Head of the Africa Division at KAAD, emphasized that her commitment is “not abstract,” but rather “practical, courageous, and deeply rooted in the conviction” that “every person deserves dignity, opportunities, and a voice in shaping their future.” Many years after receiving her own KAAD fellowship, Locardia Shayamunda is also active in the alumni network KASSA (KAAD Association of Scholars from Southern Africa) and in the KAAD Partner Committee, which she currently chairs.
The spiritual framework of the annual academy was provided by worship services and communal prayer times, which were organized and led by Fr Professor Ulrich EngelOP and Fr Professor Thomas EggenspergerOP, the two spiritual advisors to KAAD. The “Encounter in Prayer” brought together different forms of religious expression in a shared celebration, which was co-organized by the KAAD scholars. During the International Festive Mass, the regional groups of scholars shaped the liturgy with contributions from various cultural and ecclesial traditions. In his homily, KAAD President Fr Dr Hans LangendörferSJ described an attitude that has shaped KAAD’s international network for many years: “Anyone who wants to feel at home and comfortable at KAAD should be a person who is curious, open-minded, and has the courage to engage with cultures other than their own.”
An international soirée held at the conclusion of the academy gave the scholars the opportunity to share experiences, cultural expressions, and perspectives from their various regions of origin. The presentations organized by the regional groups ranged from music and dance to insights into social developments and cultural traditions.
Even before the official opening, the five KAAD expert groups had already engaged with the annual theme and discussed questions of identity, belonging, and social responsibility from various disciplinary perspectives. As a result, the exploration of the theme extended beyond the actual Academy Days and was integrated into the existing working contexts of the international KAAD network.
