October 7-9, 2009, Virtual Jaspers Centre, University of Heidelberg

Transculturality is certainly one of the recent concepts we must come to terms with, literally. And with all its complexity and many criticisms the relatively young field of inquiry into globalisation has already received. We propose that by studying the flows of images and media in such a light, we sharpen our competence and ‘literacy’ to think, write and speak transculturally.

With this annual conference’s topic, the cluster of excellence “Asia and Europe in a Global Context” ventures into new domains of research on the transculturality of images and media. It addresses the felt need to ask new questions on the basis of this challenging approach on the one hand, and to develop new or modify more conventional and often genuinely ethno- and Eurocentric concepts, as they are applied ‘naturally’ in many of the established and even younger disciplines within the Humanities. Such concepts may range from origin, original and originality to authenticity and value, taste and distinction. They also highlight problematic notions such as the dichotomy of indigeneity and hybridity, high and low art, religious and secular domains as categories of distinction.

More information: http://www.asia-europe.uni-heidelberg.de/annual-conference-2009