GRK 2212:  Dynamics of Conventionality (400–1550)

• Subject Area: Literary Studies ; History
• Term: since 2018
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 280063833

The Cologne research training group engages in a reorientation of interdisciplinary research regarding the Middle Ages both in terms of content and methodology. Using ‘conventionality’ as key concept, the group reconstructs the dynamics of pre-modern societies and cultures for the time period between 400 and 1550. The hitherto neglected concept of conventionality enables us to reframe the dynamics of change in medieval history, art, architecture, music, philosophy, and literature. Methodologically, we distance ourselves from the narrative of modernization that – operating with key words such as ‘revolution’ and ‘innovation’ – entails describing the Middle Ages as a deficient preliminary stage of modernity. Such narratives construct rather static conceptions of an era in alluding to the specific traditionalism and conventionality of the Middle Ages and its societal and cultural manifestations. In contrast, the Cologne research training group aims at reconstructing their complexity and variety by adopting the concept of conventionality that has been theoretically and philosophically developed within the field of cultural studies. Conventionality signifies all rule-based forms of common actions and practical knowledge that are based on social agreement and guarantee cultural and societal stability and are yet intrinsically apt to various forms of modification and adaptation. In premodern times, the significance of conventionality is manifest in the pivotal and ubiquitous concept of consuetudo (custom, habit). Based on this concept, a corpus of accepted social and artistic rules was developed. Within the first period of funding, these rules were reconstructed within the framework of three terms implying a contrast to conventionality: norm, science, and originality. This rather wide field of research shall now be narrowed by thematically specifying research topics for the upcoming period. Based on the dissertations finished and still in progress, these topics are: Conventionality and Materiality, Conventions of Writing, ‚Conventionality and Transcultural Entanglements.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität zu Köln
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Karl Ubl
• Participating Researchers: Professor Dr. Frank Hentschel; Professorin Dr. Sabine von Heusinger; Professor Dr. Peter Orth; Professorin Dr. Monika Schausten; Professorin Dr. Claudia Sode; Professor Dr. Andreas Speer; Professorin Dr. Julia Weitbrecht; Professor Dr. David Wirmer; Professorin Dr. Susanne Wittekind