I told my friend that I was giving a talk on a German punk artist at an academic conference. Surprised, they said, “I didn’t really think you were a punk enthusiast.” They had always known me as a goody two shoes, a rule follower, and someone with a simple yet classy fashion taste. This is quite literally the opposite of the punk stereotype. But, after spending months researching the German punk artist Nina Hagen, I fell in love with the world of punk and everything it represented for the theme of recognition, identity, gender, and sexuality.
I spoke at the 10th anniversary of the 2025 International Undergraduate Conference in German Studies on the theme of “Recognition.” It took place on 1st March at St Catharine’s College, Cambridge University. My 15-minute presentation was on “How does Nina Hagen’s music validate and recognise diverse expressions of femininity, and what possibilities do these representations create for listeners” in a panel on Gender and Sexuality.
A 15-minute talk on the lifespan of Nina Hagen isn’t nearly enough time to cover her interesting life story as an artist. However, being under time constraints teaches you to be concise and focus specifically on the question. You can do this by structuring your presentation clearly, including an introduction, key definitions, an overview of the presentation, an analysis of primary sources, a conclusion and references. Then, practise your speech several times to yourself or in front of a friend!
After each talk, the audience members had the opportunity to ask questions. I really enjoyed this part, not just because I got to speak into a mic, but also because the questions challenged me to consider new ideas.
There were undergraduate students from universities in the UK, including Oxford, Cambridge, and the US who gave presentations. It was particularly interesting to see how people explored the theme “Recognition,” ranging from linguistic analyses to literary reviews.
Other students spent months researching their topics and it was inspiring to see how a single theme sparked several modes of imagination and creation. We got split into four panels with three speakers in each panel. These panels included: Cultural and National Identity, Gender and Sexuality, Time and Recognition, and Recognition and Marginalisation. The most engaging talks were ones where the presenters maintained regular eye contact with the audience, only glancing at their notes to find keywords rather than relying on reading full sentences.
I interpreted the theme “Recognition” as thinking beyond gender categories to imagine a world that recognises multiple identities. I connected these ideas with the possibilities Hagen’s musical performances and lyrics create for listeners that make broader contributions to the feminist debate.
The Berlin-based and award-winning journalist Aida Baghernejad concluded the day as the keynote speaker with her talk on the intersection of pop culture and politics in Germany, exploring its presence in films, podcasts, documentaries, and the media. She discussed how political topics are presented in documentaries with pop culture aesthetics, raising the question of how to maintain the seriousness of these issues without romanticising them. She was incredibly engaging throughout her talk, including anecdotes and personal experiences.
Doing this conference has made me more interested in studying German and International Relations. Listening to other students’ talks introduced me to many topics, scholars, and books that I never heard about before. At University, we are used to constantly feeling under pressure. For once, I felt the freedom of not having my work given a score out of 20.
However, speaking in front of a room of academics does not come without pressure. Those moments before you stand up to go and speak, you feel your heart pumping and nerves kick in. You want to make a good impression and want to show off all the hard work you have done. The nerves make you speed up your words.
Remembering to take deep breaths, stay hydrated and speak slowly is important to make those nerves go away. You start to feel more comfortable on stage. The 15-minute presentation that seemed like such a long time suddenly passes by quickly. Finishing is the best kind of feeling; you can sit back and relax.
I really enjoyed my experience at Cambridge University. I would recommend doing an academic conference to anyone wanting to get into academia, practise their presenting skills, or who loves their subject. My biggest tip would be to smile and have fun exchanging ideas with others!