Project Details
Projekt
GRK 1083: Generation History. Generational Dynamics and Historical Change in 19th and 20th Century
Subject Area
History
Term
from 2005 to 2014
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 443090
The upsurge of "gender studies" has put approaches, methods and results in the social sciences, the humanities and cultural studies on a new footing. In the light of the demographic threat to the "generational contract" and the quick succession of "generational styles" in popular culture another equally fundamental problem is asking for attention: Which role do "generations" play in the making of cultural identity, the succession of styles, the distribution of economic resources, the orchestration of political conflict and in the making of historical tradition itself? And what can be learned from this for the "generational sense" of experience and self in modern times?
The Research Training Group combines the different fields of expertise, which normally deal with "generations" in an isolated manner like in studies of socialisation, the welfare state, political conflict and revolutions, literary studies, cultural studies and in historical narratology. In bringing these fields together the programme will help to establish "generation studies" as an integral approach in social science and cultural studies.
The historicity of these generational issues places the project in the period from the "sea change" in historical thinking in the late 18th century with its revolution in time experience and the second half of the 20th century with its endgame of the political generations connected with war and revolution. The making of generations is, however, often seen in terms of a particular historical definition (by Karl Mannheim), which turns on a narrow concept of the heroic and tragic self-generation of male youth. Instead, the programme looks at "generations" in terms of mobilising and contrasting "generational meaning" in culture wars and political conflicts and in generating - next to class and gender - a specific category of difference in market societies and gender relations.
The study programme, therefore, cuts across the boundaries of the different disciplines involved and establishes a historical understanding of generations beyond either structural or cultural demarcation. The historical processes of generation formation and tradition in their national varieties, which will be contrasted by international exchange and summer schools, will certainly show up national patterns of generational styles, but they will also point to common ground in the way in which historical experience was modulated and shared in Europe.
The Research Training Group combines the different fields of expertise, which normally deal with "generations" in an isolated manner like in studies of socialisation, the welfare state, political conflict and revolutions, literary studies, cultural studies and in historical narratology. In bringing these fields together the programme will help to establish "generation studies" as an integral approach in social science and cultural studies.
The historicity of these generational issues places the project in the period from the "sea change" in historical thinking in the late 18th century with its revolution in time experience and the second half of the 20th century with its endgame of the political generations connected with war and revolution. The making of generations is, however, often seen in terms of a particular historical definition (by Karl Mannheim), which turns on a narrow concept of the heroic and tragic self-generation of male youth. Instead, the programme looks at "generations" in terms of mobilising and contrasting "generational meaning" in culture wars and political conflicts and in generating - next to class and gender - a specific category of difference in market societies and gender relations.
The study programme, therefore, cuts across the boundaries of the different disciplines involved and establishes a historical understanding of generations beyond either structural or cultural demarcation. The historical processes of generation formation and tradition in their national varieties, which will be contrasted by international exchange and summer schools, will certainly show up national patterns of generational styles, but they will also point to common ground in the way in which historical experience was modulated and shared in Europe.
DFG Programme
Research Training Groups
Applicant Institution
Georg-August-Universität Göttingen
Participating Researchers
Professorin Dr. Rebekka Habermas (†); Professor Dr. Wolfgang Knöbl; Professorin Dr. Margret Kraul; Professor Dr. Gerhard Lauer; Professorin Dr. Carola Lipp
Spokesperson
Professor Dr. Dirk Schumann
