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Aesthetics of Protestantism in Northern Europe

Research Project
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09.01.2018
 - 31.03.2019

The project aims to analyze the significance of Protestantism for the aesthetics of Nordic cultures. The Reformation was established in the Nordic countries statewide within a few decades and was institutionalized as the state church either until now or until very recently. The fundamental thesis is that the Reformation was not only one of the most important political factors in the political, social, and ecclesiastical history of Scandinavia, but that it had also a deep impact on cultural life in all its forms until today. These areas include literature, the visual arts, music, both high and popular culture, cultural practices and performances. The repercussions concern content (presence of Christian inter-texts) and form: We might detect a predilection for simplicity, logocentrism, purism, worldliness as obligation, tension between individualism and collectivism and, consequently, a tendency to prefer aesthetic forms as subjective poetry, autobiography, and engaged literature. These dynamics are not yet researched sufficiently. The EUCOR network of Scandinavian Studies disposes of expertise to pilot a collective research project that covers the period from the Reformation until today. The seed money is intended to establish the necessary international collaborations, to structure the project and to apply for substantial funding. A preparatory international workshop will be organized in Strasbourg in November 2018, which will be open to students of all three universities and integrated into their curriculum.

Collaborations & Cooperations

2030 - Participation or Organization of Collaborations on an international level
Grage, Joachim, Prof. Dr., Albrecht-Universität Freiburg, Research cooperation
2030 - Participation or Organization of Collaborations on an international level
Mohnike, Thomas, Prof. Dr., Université de Strasbourg, Research cooperation

Members (1)

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Lena Rohrbach

Principal Investigator