WELCOME!

The project ETH Decol reconstructs the colonial history of ETH Zurich. The research team explores how ETH became a central hub in the global circulation of experts, technologies, knowledge and objects from the age of high imperialism through the era of decolonisation (1860-1980). The project runs from 2024 to 2029.

NEWS

Sarujan had the huge privilege and great pleasure of speaking with Anja Nunyola Glover in the podcast ‘Missing Chapters’ about our project at ETH Zurich. What a wonderful moment! They talked about colonialism and universities, (trans-)imperial geology at ETH Zurich, classism and racism in the history world, why there are hardly any children of parents with refugee backgrounds in the humanities, and the obstacles that make things difficult for them. The project is meant to be just the beginning of critically questioning universities as institutions. If you are interested, please feel free to listen to it (the podcast is in German).

Zwischen Archiv und Elfenbeinturm – Koloniale Verflechtungen an der ETHZ

Next Event, Symposium about Decolonising university
collections? Challenges, issues and perspectives, 8th and 9th October

Sarujan and Monique are presenting their paper Beyond “Informal“ Empire: Natural History Collections in Switzerland at the Heart of Imperial Science

In Autumn Semester 2026: Monique and Guest Lecturer Charlotte Hoes will co-teach the course: From Benin to Bührle: Provenance Research in Switzerland and Shared Cultures of Remembrance. Please find additional information here: Vorlesungsverzeichnis