Texts - Images - Media. Basic research in cultural theory

For many years, measured against the number of staff members working with us, the Department of Literature (with Art and Media Studies) has been one of the most successful cultural studies departments in Germany in acquiring external research funding. Our research is characterised by the willingness and the will to collaborate and work together closely in inter-philological and interdisciplinary research projects. It is based around a common interest in general literary, art and media theory and/or cultural theory. Milestones in this unique, 50-year research tradition have included, amongst others, the “Konstanzer Schule der Rezeptionsästhetik” (Konstanz school of reception aesthetics), essential contributions to “Poetik und Hermeneutik” (poetics and hermeneutics), the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) “Literatur und Anthropologie” (literature and anthropology) or collaboration in the Collaborative Research Centre (CRC) “Norm und Symbol” (norm and symbol), as well as various DFG Research Training Groups. Current research activities include the Cluster of Excellence “Cultural Foundations of Social Integration”, the DFG Research Unit “Media and Participation. Between Demand and Entitlement”, the Research Training Group “The Problem of the Real in Modern Culture” as well as the Research Training Group “Changing Frames”. In addition to this, our staff members also work on various externally funded projects.