The Bertelsmann Foundation documentary “Go-Go City: Displacement & Protest in Washington, DC” focuses on the intersection of go-go and the protests over racial justice that have proliferated across the city for the better part of 2020. The documentary dives into the rich tapestry of Washington’s culture and sound, as well as the forces of economic and cultural gentrification that stand to mute them. The film interweaves scenes of protest as displaced communities rally around the city’s beloved Go-Go music to retake the streets. Director Samuel George will give the introduction and a Q&A after the screening.
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Speakers
Samuel George’s work for the Bertelsmann Foundation is focused on economics, politics, the digital revolution, and daily life—with a specific emphasis on where these issues intersect. His multimedia approach features documentary film, animated video, and written analysis. Samuel’s documentaries bring viewers up close and personal to people and communities facing the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century, offering candid perspectives that allows viewers to draw their own conclusions. Filming on the ground from the Turkish – Syrian border, to the factories of Juárez, Mexico, to political rallies in Naples, Italy, to election season in West Virginia, his documentaries dive inside the impact of critical crossroads around the globe. Samuel holds a master’s degree in international politics and economics from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) in Washington. He is currently completing a PhD at that same institution.
Mackenzie Hansen is a first-year undergraduate student pursuing a Contemporary European Studies major as well as Media and Journalism and Creative Writing minors. She has participated in UNC’s inaugural Model EU team, two PPE reading groups, and recently joined a working group on sustainability and environmental policy. Mackenzie currently works at the Center for European Studies as a digital assistant.
Christiane Lemke is Professor of Political Science and Director of International Relations and European Studies at the Institute of Political Science at Leibniz University Hannover. Professor Lemke has been very involved in Center for European Studies teaching, research, and conferences for many years. She has been teaching in UNC-Chapel Hill’s Transatlantic Masters (TAM) program for over a decade and has been a recurring DAAD Visiting Scholar to UNC since 1988. In addition to her current position, Christiane Lemke, from 2010-14, held the Max Weber Chair at New York University. Professor Lemke received her Ph.D. from the Faculty of Philosophy and Social Sciences at the Free University in Berlin and went on to earn her Habilitation Venia legendi in Political Science from the same institution. Professor Lemke has been a visiting scholar at a number of US institutions over the years as she has maintained her permanent faculty positions in Germany. She has taught courses at UNC-Chapel Hill, Stanford University, Harvard University, and Suffolk University. In addition, while on a leave from the University of Hannover from 2006 to 2007, Professor Lemke served as the Director of State Parliament, Lower Saxony. Professor Lemke’s academic areas of expertise include: European Politics, Democracy and Governance in the EU, Transatlantic Relations, Comparative Politics and Political Theory, and American Politics. She is the author/editor of numerous books and articles, including: Internationale Beziehungen: Grundkonzepte, Theorien und Problemfelder, 4th ed. (International Relations: Concepts, Theories, and Key Issues, 2018); Germany Today. Politics and Policies in a Changing World, 2018; Europäische Außen- und Sicherheitspolitik (European Foreign and Security Policy, 2010), Menschenrechte und Migration (Human Rights and Migration, 2009).
Cameren Lofton is a Project Manager on the Program Design & Implementation Team at Algorex Health in Boston, MA. She graduated from UNC–Chapel Hill in spring 2020 with a double major in Political Science and Contemporary European Studies. On campus, she was involved in WRESL (Working Group for Refugees, Europe, and Service-Learning), The Bridge online magazine, and the Black Arts Theatre Company. She also served as Program Assistant for a partnership between the Center for European Studies and The Exodus Institute, a non-profit in DC with a focus on addressing the crisis of forced migration.
This event is co-sponsored by the Bertelsmann Foundation and the UNC TransAtlantic Masters Program. The Bertelsmann Foundation is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit think tank in Washington, DC dedicated to a strong and lasting transatlantic relationship. The Foundation is the U.S. arm of the Germany-based Bertelsmann Stiftung. At a time when many are asking what people from all parts of the U.S. and Europe think about global issues, the Foundation’s aim is to bring its work to audiences outside Washington and Brussels.
