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Cultures and Societies in Space and Time

The key research area ‘Cultures and Societies in Space and Time’ is based in particular on three research fields: Societal Transformations and Adaptations, Media and Forms of Cultural Articulation, and Transregional and Regional Studies. Researchers from the humanities, cultural studies, and social sciences are working closely together in these three fields, using historical and contemporary approaches in individual and collaborative research to create knowledge that is relevant for understanding and overcoming problems and challenges of the present, and puts them in perspective. Great importance is attached to globality, interconnectedness, and comparison in diachronic and synchronic perspectives.

Three Research Fields

Societal Transformations and Adaptations

Transregional and Regional Studies

Media and Forms of Cultural Articulation

The focus is on history, political science, law, literature, and empirical linguistics, on the examination of concepts of political, legal, social, and religious orientation, and on the analysis and reflection of the production and circulation of knowledge.

The comparative perspective and the great interest in interdisciplinary cooperation enables successful collaborative research, for example in CRC 948 ‘Heroes, Heroizations, Heroisms’, in RTG 2571 ‘Empires’, and in thematically focused research centres.

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Eine Hand, die über dem Touchpad eines Laptops schwebt.

The methods of data collection, data analysis, artificial intelligence, and digital humanities developed and applied and the research in environmental humanities conducted in this key research area forge links to the natural and engineering sciences and are therefore connected to the key research area ‘Pathways to Sustainability’. A wide variety of perspectives as well as small and large disciplines are the prerequisite for this productive networking, which we understand as a strength and a driver of innovation.

chevron-right Pathways to Sustainability

The research strength of the priority area is demonstrated, among other things, by one Collaborative Research Centre, two Research Training Groups, two ERC Grants, and top rankings in national comparison (literary studies – 2nd place, history – 7th place, philosophy – 10th place, linguistics and ancient cultures – both 13th place according to the DFG Research Atlas 2021).

Die Fassade des Kollegiengebäude 1 spiegelt sich in der Glasfassade der Universitätsbibliothek

Current project within the framework of the Excellence Strategy

Cluster of Excellence intiative Constitution as Practice in Times of Transformation (ConTrans)

Interdisciplinary facilities and other structures

Collaborations

Selected collaborative projects and individual funding