Cultural Encounters and Transcultural Processes

Knowledge, Media, Communication

This interdisciplinary research field addresses the genesis, construction, and transformation of cultures in theory and practice. Regionally, research focuses on Europe, Africa, and the Americas – i.e. a large portion of the Atlantic Rim and parts of the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Understood as basic research, this field of research investigates the origins of cultural and transcultural processes from diachronic and synchronous perspectives and also studies their functions and impact.

The study of cultural encounters and transcultural processes – i.e. the analysis of existing and developing regional, national, and hybrid cultures, their self-conceptions, interactions, and effects on societies, politics, economics, and the environment – is essential, especially in the context of globalization. The aim is to achieve a better understanding of the origins of cultures along with transcultural processes of communication and knowledge-sharing in politics, diplomacy, economics, research, education, art, ecology, and development cooperation.  

In Bayreuth, cultural encounters and transcultural processes are being investigated in seven main areas of study both through individual and collaborative research. Individual research provides the central innovative impetus for developing collaborative projects such as research training groups and research schools. The seven main areas of study are “Education”, “Diasporas”, “Forms of Expression”, “Bodies”, “Religions”, and “Risk”.