Mainz, 6 June 2025 – Dr Malin Wilckens, a historian at the Leibniz Institute of European History (IEG) in Mainz, has been awarded the Johannes Zilkens Dissertation Prize by the German Academic Scholarship Foundation (Studienstiftung des Deutschen Volkes) for her outstanding doctoral thesis in the humanities. In her research, she traces how nineteenth-century scientists transformed the human skull into a collectible and measurable object of comparison, thereby establishing it as a key criterion for distinguishing and categorizing individuals and human groups. Her work, titled “Skull Comparisons and the Order of the World,” aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the “racialization in science (1780–1880),” as indicated by its subtitle.
“I was very pleased to receive this recognition for my work, ” said Wilckens after the award ceremony. “I did not expect it. The fact that an interdisciplinary jury acknowledged my historical research made the achievement all the more meaningful.” The jury in particular highlighted the methodological quality of her work, noting how Wilckens “innovatively combines theory of practice with global microhistory.” The award, endowed with 5,000 euros, was presented on May 19 during a formal event hosted by the Studienstiftung in Berlin.
In her research, Wilckens uses three case studies to explore how anatomists and anthropologists—Johann Friedrich Blumenbach (1752–1840) in Göttingen, Samuel George Morton (1799–1851) in Philadelphia, and Paul Broca (1824–1880) in Paris—acquired skulls via networks of collectors and how they compared their specimens. She brings a novel approach that not only analyzes previously little studied collecting practices, but also focuses on the practices of comparison. Since most of these figures did not collect skulls themselves but relied on extensive networks of various actors, they sometimes waited one or two years for a skull from a specific region to test a hypothesis. Chance also played a significant role in this process. For example, Blumenbach coined the term “Caucasian race” after he obtained a particularly well-preserved skull from the Caucasus in 1793, which suggested to him that Europeans originated from that region.
Wilckens reconstructs the practices of collecting, measuring, and comparison through analysis of letters, correspondences, notes, and writings of the three researchers. This allows her to demonstrate how a new practice of skull collection emerged over time, evolving from botanical collecting practices. She also describes how the skulls were reduced to scientific objects through processes of measurement. Notably, there was a shift in the classification of ‘races’ from focusing on skin color to emphasizing skull features as the decisive criterion. The combination of various knowledge practices thus contributed to the development of racial theories.
Furthermore, Wilckens shows through her three case studies that the racialization of science was a transnational phenomenon closely linked to late Enlightenment, colonial, and imperial dynamics. On the one hand, this reflects an asymmetrical relationship between Europe as well as the USA and other parts of the world; on the other hand, the nationalization and popularization of scientific methods also led to intra-continental differentiation. Therefore, ‘race’ categories were not fixed but were constantly renegotiated through practices of comparison. The skull served as a relatively stable object for comparison, allowing different and changing ‘racial’ traits to be attributed to it.
Wilckens began exploring this topic five years ago, at a time when many skull collections were still publicly accessible. “It’s hard to imagine that today,” she remarks, considering the current debates around the repatriation of human remains and the restitution of art objects. She became interested in this subject during research at Bielefeld University, where she was also associated with the Collaborative Research Center “Practices of Comparing.” At the IEG in Mainz, Wilckens researches the history of science, technology, and the environment. Among other topics, she investigates practices of differentiation in early human prehistory and the history of matches.
About the IEG
The IEG is an independent, non-university research institute and has been a member of the Leibniz Association since 2012. Its primary mission is the scholarly investigation of European history. The institute conducts and promotes research into the political, social, religious, and cultural foundations of Europe in the modern era, while also engaging with contemporary developments in the Digital Humanities. Its researchers work on both individual and collaborative projects and actively support early-career scholars through its esteemed fellowship and guest programs.
Press contact:
PD Dr Manfred Sing, phone: +49 6131 39 39 475, e-mail-adress: sing@ieg-mainz.de
Dr Juliane Schwoch, phone: +49 6131 39 39 343, e-mail-adress: schwoch@ieg-mainz.de
