Studies for SpatioTemporality Erfurt

Welcome to the website of SpatioTemporality Research Erfurt (ERZ)

With the boom of research regarding the “spatial turn” especially in cultural studies many projects are concerned with spatial perspectives. The reflections are predominantly one-dimensional – or more precisely: three-dimensional as the temporal perspective is often neglected. The Erfurt SpaceTime Research group dedicated itself to the scientific examination of both categories in connection to each other. On the one hand our goal is to combine projects at the University of Erfurt. On the other hand we intend to give new impulses to the theoretical debate as well as to a regionalization and historicization of the dealing with space and time. Apart from the world regional and the epoch-spanning approach of the Erfurt TimeSpace Research group the interdisciplinary approach is of importance. Thus, historians, philosophers, geographers as well as scholars from the fields of religious studies, communication and literature participate are in the group. Of course, other interested colleagues are likewise invited to join us. Our primary form of exchange are workshops. The specific topics are chosen by our participants. Relevant experts beyond the group are invited to the events where we increasingly cooperate with research institutions from the “outside”.

From a conceptual perspective we assume that on a lived and daily level spatiality and temporality cannot be separated from each other. A focus of the research group lies on the spatial and temporal practices. As an access point we often refer to a trialectic of the material, produced and imagined constitution of space and time. Among others we analyze techno-economic networks with regard to efficient movement in space, the societal negotiations of soundscapes, the temporalization and localization of societies in global reference systems, concepts of time and space existing parallel to each other or being opposed to each other, change of cultural modes of behavior with respect to time and space, specific spatio-temporally constructed formations of knowledge as well as the meaning of both concepts for the human self-constitution.

Download of the draft paper (German)