The 5th Intercontinental Crosscurrents Conference, titled Women and Health in the Nineteenth-Century Transatlantic World, took place from December 4–6, 2025, at the University of Madeira in Funchal, Portugal.
The conference was jointly organized by Prof. Dr. Julia Nitz from the MLU and Prof. Dr. Inês Tadeu from the University of Madeira. It brought together an international group of scholars to explore questions of women’s health from historical, literary, cultural, and medical perspectives. The program featured a wide range of academic talks that addressed women’s bodies, health practices, addiction, education and medical discourses within a transatlantic and interdisciplinary framework.
Two students of our students participated in the program, Eva Rösler and Emily Ssempuuma. They delivered a talk and a response, respectively, on Charlotte Perkins Gilman’s The Yellow Wallpaper. The papers were received enthusiastically and we are proud how well Eva and Emily presented the institute. In addition to the well-rounded program, the location of the conference on the island of Madeira enhanced the already amazing experience. The incredible Funchal Christmas lights illuminated the streets, and the lively Christmas market created a memorable backdrop for informal conversations and networking after the conference sessions. These moments outside the formal program are always a great opportunity for participants to continue discussions and build international connections.
An opportunity like this does not come along very often, so we are thankful to everyone who made it possible, especially to our student organizer Lena Holz. Especially for our students, this conference was valuable as early-career researchers. It offered them direct exposure to international and professional academic exchange, as well as the chance to engage in discussions on current debates and research in the field. There are plans for a publication of the papers discussed in the conference.
For more information, visit crosscurrents.uni-halle.de.
