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Instructors: Univ.-Prof. Dr. Barbara Veronika Cummings; Dr. Elisabeth Sommerlad
Event type:
Advanced seminar
Displayed in timetable as:
M6-MA AS
Hours per week:
2
Language of instruction:
Englisch
Min. | Max. participants:
- | 20
Priority scheme: Senatsrichtlinie
Requirements / organisational issues:
The seminar takes place as a two-semester course in the summer and winter semesters and includes field visits.
Contents:
„Diamonds are forever“: Rise, decline and persistence of the globalised gemstone industry in EdelSteinLand Hunsrück
The mining and shaping of locally occurring gemstones in the southern Hunsrück region, that is today labeled as “EdelSteinLand”, goes back to the middle-ages. Being the starting point for a quickly growing and developing prosperity in the region in the past, this industry has initialised some of the earliest globalisation ties in Germany: Connecting the major discoveries of gemstones in Brazil, Southern Africa etc., that were exported to the region for further processing – in particular for jewelry – with the existing and unique infrastructure reaching from grinding shops to globally known exhibition markets, to commercialisation of the finished products in Hunsrück, and being traded at stock markets reaching far into South-Asian markets. Over the second half of the last century, structural transformations have harshly affected the region of Hunsrück and this once thriving industry. And yet, today we can see a versatile new regional development engaging new actors and revitalise prior globalised ties and connections.
The aim of our research workshop this year with you is to investigate the persistence of these global ties, based on the continuity of the materiality of gemstones as well as of their immateriality, such as their significance for the region of Hunsrück and their symbolic and globally negotiated capital.
We will work in smaller units (3-4 students) on individual research questions, targeting different actors and emerging research questions. After a first joined visit and discovery of the region in a 3-day trip in May (see time schedule below), we will elaborate individual research designs for the different research questions of your groups. We will meet on a regular base during summer term to elaborate your research design. From 25.7. to 4.8.2022 we will be all together going on our field research in situ. In winter semester 2022/23 you will write your final research reports which will be due in December 2022.
For the research project there will be expenses, which have to be covered by the participants (such as travel expenses, apartment/hotel for the excursion stay, entrance fees, rental cars for the group work, etc.). The cost is expected to be a maximum of 450€. More detailed information about the costs and the modalities of payment will be announced before the beginning of the seminar.
Time Schedule:
Weekly meeting: Wednesdays, 10-12h
Excursion: May 21st-22nd
Research Period: July 25th-August 4th (+ additional time for the individual projects)
Additional information:
Please note that your registration for the course is binding. If you withdraw after the binding registration, you will have to bear the full costs actually incurred, unless a substitute participant can be found. Please keep this in mind when registering!
We recommend that you have travel cancellation insurance.
Digital teaching:
The seminar will be held as a face-to-face event, insofar as possible.
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