The Enduring Threads of Euroculture: Mobility, Responsibility, and the Power of Our Network

By Marc Arwed Rutke
Coordinator, Supervisor & Lecturer, University of Göttingen

Since I began my journey with the Euroculture Programme quite some time ago, people have always been at the heart of this experience. What starts as classroom seminars, intense supervisions of placements, research, and theses, and academic coordination in Göttingen consistently transforms into something much bigger: a vibrant, lifelong global network of lasting friendships. As Jane Howard once wrote, “Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one.” For so many of us, Euroculture has become exactly that.

Whenever I have the privilege of meeting our alumni across the globe on all continents, I am struck by a profound sense of gratitude. These encounters are a true bliss. They remind me that the “Euroculture effect” doesn’t expire at graduation; it keeps expanding, enriching our lives and careers across borders and decades.

The Antidote to Virtual Fatigue: Reflections on a Week in Groningen

We have just wrapped up another incredible Intensive Programme (IP), hosted by our consortium secretariat in Groningen. Now that the intense hum of the week has settled, it feels like the perfect moment to reflect on what makes this annual gathering so indispensable.

Let’s be honest: since the pandemic, the way we communicate in academia has grown increasingly digitized and distant. It has become much harder for students and staff to simply talk directly during traditional office hours. Too often, our interactions are confined to endless email threads, text screens, and scheduled online formats. While technology keeps us functional, it cannot replace the chemistry of a shared physical space.

This past week in Groningen was the ultimate antidote to that virtual fatigue. Seeing colleagues from our network of 12 partner universities come together in one space, engaging in deep discussions with the inspiring guests of the programme, and watching our students debate face-to-face reminded me why the IP is non-negotiable for the health of Euroculture. We need these direct, spontaneous interactions to truly strengthen our personal connections and dissolve the barriers of digital formality.

A particular highlight was witnessing the bridge between Euroculture’s past, present, and future. During the Career Day, our alumni generously brought their diverse professional expertise back into the loop, guiding current students on the pathways waiting for them outside the bubble. And later that evening, the alumni get-together was pure joy—a wonderful evening of laughter, shared memories, and proof that once you are part of this family, you never really leave.

Popping the “Euroculture Bubble”: Involve, Participate, Contribute

A vital part of keeping this global community connected and giving it a voice is The Euroculturer. I am immensely grateful to the magazine’s independent volunteers and editors who sustain this platform, which was initiated many years ago by students, for students, and is kept alive today alongside our incorporated alumni. Their dedication brings to mind the words of Elizabeth Andrew: “Volunteers do not necessarily have the time; they just have the heart.”

However, a platform is only as strong as the voices that power it. I want to challenge my colleagues, our current students, and alumni to actively involve yourselves, participate, and continuously contribute to the magazine and the Programme as a whole.

It is dangerously easy for us to retreat into our own comfortable “Euroculture bubble.” But the world outside needs the insights generated here. By writing, debating, and sharing your perspectives publicly, you do three vital things:

• Strengthen the Internal Community: You bridge the gap between different cohorts, universities, and generations of alumni.
• Create External Visibility: You project Euroculture’s unique identity to the outside world, showing employers, academic institutions, and society the value of what we do.
• Promote Deep Self-Reflection: The two years of this Programme force a profound intellectual and personal transformation. The things you learn, the biases you unlearn, and the critical self-reflection you develop shouldn’t remain locked away.

Much of the real, transformative learning in Euroculture happens outside the classroom—in the late-night kitchen debates between international flatmates, the navigating of unfamiliar European bureaucracies, and the cultural shocks that reframe how you view the world. We need you to bring those reflections into the light.

Diversifying the Family: A Goal for the African Continent

Global Partners and Sporting Spirits

On a more personal note, I am immensely grateful to see that the network continues to evolve in exciting ways. My own former alma mater, Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada, is now a part of our network—a connection that brings me great personal joy.

By brilliant coincidence, the energy of the IP once again coincided with the excitement of the Football World Cup. Gathering together to watch major World or European championships has practically become a sacred tradition for the Euroculture community during past IPs. This year was no different, and we had the wonderful chance to watch several matches together in the late evenings during our time in Groningen. Even though the host nations—including our partners’ home countries of Canada and Mexico, alongside the US—have now bowed out of the tournament, sharing those late-night viewing sessions brought staff and students from dozens of nations into one room to experience the pure drama and camaraderie of global sport.

Here in Göttingen, we were already in a thoroughly sporty mode before arriving in Groningen, having just experienced the vibrant athletic spirit of the DIES Academicus with our students, and that energy certainly carried through the week. Whether on the pitch, in front of the screen, or in the seminar rooms, the spirit of international collaboration remains alive and well.

Guarding Our Shared Values

Our focus within Euroculture lies heavily on Europe and its global relationships, and we cannot ignore the reality of the world we live in. We are navigating a historical moment where liberal democracies face profound institutional and ideological pressures. Passivity is a luxury we no longer have.

As cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead famously reminded us: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” By stepping up to volunteer, engaging in civic spaces, and participating in platforms like this magazine, you actively help strengthen a sense of tolerance, mutual understanding, and mutual respect. It is through this active citizenship that we uphold and protect vital democratic values.

Yet, true civic engagement demands that we step outside our comfortable echoes. It is easy to debate global issues with friends and family who already share our views, but our societies thrive when we actively reach out to fellow citizens who hold entirely different opinions. I challenge you to seek out these challenging conversations. Stay curious, enter discussions with an open mind, and learn to accept disagreement. Even when deep political divides persist, meaningful dialogue on a purely human level is almost always possible—and it is precisely through these human connections that we learn to understand, respect, and accept our differences on a fundamentally human dimension.

To all the students who just completed the IP in Groningen: thank you for your energy, your brilliant face-to-face debates, and your dedication throughout a demanding week.

And to all our final-semester students wrapping up their very last classes before embarking on careers or further academic research this fall and winter: congratulations. You leave an indelible mark on our community. Take what you have learned inside and outside our classrooms, and use it to shake up the world outside the bubble.

Thank you to the volunteers, the editors, the writers, and the entire Euroculture family for continuously enriching our lives. Here is to many more years of real, direct encounters and lifelong global friendships.

See you somewhere in the world!

Recommendations for the Summer-Break

Before you head off to rest and recharge, here are a few personal recommendations to keep your global curiosity alive outside the classroom. For fiction, I highly recommend Homer’s timeless epic The Odyssey, paired with Steven Levitsky and Daniel Ziblatt’s vital non-fiction analysis How Democracies Die. For your playlist, I suggest diving into the powerful, boundary-crossing music of Miriam Makeba and the witty, deeply analytical episodes of The Rest is History podcast. Finally, for visual inspiration, explore the evocative, journey-inspired artwork of Mulgil Kim, and carve out time for the brilliant Argentine cinematic masterpiece, El secreto de sus ojos. Enjoy and feel free to share your recommendations in the comments below.

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Author’s Note: This piece was drafted in Microsoft Word, with editing assistance from Microsoft Copilot, and shaped with valuable feedback and proofreading from three human beings 😊 To ensure editorial integrity, all quotes used throughout this article have been verified and authenticated.

Header source: Photo taken by the author.