Event in Arabic and German – Wednesday June 1st 2026 at 7 pm
at Ulme 35, Ulmenallee 35, Berlin-Westend. Please register via the registration link
Another war in the Middle East!? It’s all about the oil!! That’s the typical response often heard when people ask about the reasons behind the conflicts there. But why? What makes oil indispensable worldwide and the mother of all conflicts in the Middle East?
In light of current events, we would like to devote this Saturday afternoon to the topic of “petrolism”: We will examine the history of fossil fuel economy and its impact on thought, societies, and the environment from various perspectives. For the current crisis triggered by the Iran war is not merely about the price of petrol at the pump; rather, it becomes clear that this substance is virtually omnipresent and found in countless products of everyday life.
Our event will revolve around these and other questions regarding “petromodernity.”
19 Uhr – Panel: Petromodernity und Petrolism
In this panel discussion, we will examine ‘petrolism’ and its consequences, focusing not only on Western countries – the consumers – but also on countries in the Middle East – the producers (and consumers).
First, the historical, social and political contexts will be examined more closely. Ahmed Abushouk will talk about the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, one of the forerunners of today’s BP shareholding company. His book *The Anglo-Persian Oil Company and the Arab Gulf States* published in 2019 – unfortunately so far only in Arabic – examines the impact of the oil industry on the region, in particular the transformation of the Gulf states from relatively poor nations to the wealthiest in the Arabian Peninsula.
How long can this growth continue, is the question raised by Samuli Schielke. Is perpetual growth possible, as the dogma of actually existing capitalism suggests? Is the assumption correct that simply by wanting it, we can have more and more, and that growth can be endless? Is not what is ultimately regarded as human achievement merely a profit derived from extractivism, which is currently enjoying a resurgence, and whose finitude some decision-makers persistently declare by to be a false belief – but is not this the reality, whilst the belief lies with the deniers?
The well-known concept of sustainability provides one answer to these questions; after a long period of gaining traction within society, it has now also found its way into the political arena, which nevertheless remains reluctant in implementing an energy policy based on sustainability. Ibrahim Mohamad, who is moderating the panel, will shed light on economic and fiscal policy, particularly in Germany, and how the investment climate created by these policies either promotes or hinders the so-called energy transition.
Panel in Arabic with simultaneous translation into German
Panelists:
8.30pm: A small buffet with mezze and summer salads will conclude the event
Event in Arabic and German – Wednesday July 1st 2026 at 7 pm
at Ulme 35, Ulmenallee 35, Berlin-Westend. Please register via the registration link