A pretzel, a word. Deutschlandfunk Kultur invites you to a live radio show from the Humboldt Forum in Berlin. Join us as we welcome a prominent guest from the worlds of culture, science, media or politics to the Mechanical Arena.
Image gallery
Porträt des Soziologen Steffen Mau
Have an engaging conversation together about the issues of our time. Chat, argue or think out loud together. Here you can experience radio up close, watch and join in the discussion. An engaging conversation about the issues of the day, broadcast throughout Germany, held in the new old center of Berlin, in the Humboldt Forum.
Steffen Mau is Professor of Macrosociology at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin and Director of the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Religious and Ethnic Diversity. He is the author of several bestselling books.
Most recently, Steffen Mau co-authored The Great Upheaval: A Conversation About Crises, Conflicts and Compromises with Ricarda Lang.
In his research, the sociologist focuses extensively on the question: Are Germans living in a divided society? In 2021, Steffen Mau was awarded the Leibniz Prize by the German Research Foundation (DFG). Among his most widely discussed and frequently cited books are Unequally United: Why the East Remains Different and Trigger Points: Consensus and Conflict in Contemporary Society (co-authored with Thomas Lux and Linus Westheuser).
Steffen Mau has also coined terms such as “polarization entrepreneurs” and “change fatigue.”
- free of charge
- from 11.50 am to 1 pm (start of the live broadcast at 12.05 pm)
- Language: German
- Location: Mechanical arena in the foyer
Additional information
Accessibility
The Humboldt Forum and its facilities are wheelchair-accessible. A tactile floor guidance system makes it easier for blind and visually impaired visitors to find their way around.
Educational formats are tailored to the different needs of visitors with disabilities. These include tactile tours, guided tours & workshops interpreted into German Sign Language (DGS), as well as guided tours for and with people with learning difficulties.
Barrier-free parking spaces are available south of the Humboldt Forum on Schlossplatz. Further information can be found here.
By underground and suburban train U Museumsinsel (U5): 1 min on foot S/U Alexanderplatz: 15 min on foot S Hackescher Markt: 10 min on foot
By bus Lustgarten: 100, 300, N5; 1 min walk Berliner Schloss: 147; 1 min walk BVG travel information
Bus stops are available in Rathausstraße near the Nikolai quarter: Stopping time from 9:00 - 22.30
Dates
August 2026
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