DECAF
Ddictionary of ECcultural exchanges between AAustria and France
.
ANR project
Project presentation
In contrast to the persistent notion of "national" cultures as used in the 19th century, transnational exchanges have always had a strong impact on all areas of human activity. Current research takes account of this situation by focusing increasingly sharply on aspects of cultural contact: the most recent transnational approaches go beyond comparative methods and traditional concepts of "influence", understanding supranational cultural relations as complex processes of reception and interpenetration, and focusing in particular on the specific role played by cultural mediators. In this context, research has largely focused on cultural transfers between France and Germany (cf. the work of Michel Espagne, Michael Werner and Hans-Jürgen Lüsebrink).
Funded by the ANR with the support of the FWF (Austrian Science Fund), the DECAF project draws on these approaches to shed light on the specificity of Austro-French cultural relations, hitherto partly neglected. DECAF will provide the first biographical and prosopographical dictionary of personalities and institutions who played an active role in cultural exchanges between France and Austria from 1740 to the present day. The dictionary will be freely available online, and will be expanded as the project develops. Focusing on literature, music and the arts, DECAF aims to provide a nuanced, interdisciplinary picture of Austro-French cultural contacts.
It will provide (1) the basis for a comprehensive transdisciplinary history of cultural exchange between France and Austria, (2) a practical demonstration of detailed research focusing on processes relevant to cultural exchange, (3) an entry into processes concerning the formation of a national identity and representations of 'the other'.
Overtly transdisciplinary project, DECAF presents itself as an in-depth analysis of cross-relationships between different cultural areas. The collaboration between French, German and Austrian researchers will also prevent unilateral views and strengthen the project in terms of critical examination, mutual support and exchange of ideas.
Project pilots
Marc Lacheny (University of Lorraine, Metz site)
Maria Piok (University of Innsbruck)
LARSH contributors involved in the project
Irène Cagneau (Work Package "Art and Music" and Work Package "Literature and Theater")
Start and duration of scientific project
September 2022 - 36 Months