Simone Wagner presents a working paper on ‚Space in Conflict – Cospatiality and its Effect on the Authority of Superiors‘

Many conflicts between religious superiors and their chapters as well as civic magistrates deal with spatial issues. These can be explained by applying the concept of cospatiality. Jacques Lévy defines cospatiality as „une des interspatialités caractérisée par la mise en relation de deux espaces occupant la même étendue“. During the conflicts the actors tried to conceptually and physically distinguish between the precinct of the collegiate church and urban space. However, they failed to do successfully. By challenging the meaning applied to space by their adversaries actors created cospatiality. Walls were constructed as dividing as well as permeable. Physical formations like doors and sounds could act as a switch triggering spatial interaction. Cospatiality influenced the authority of the superiors. As monastic and urban space interacted their authority was challenged.

Stefan Schmalz receives Heisenberg research funding

PD Dr. Stefan Schmalz, currently deputy professor at the Latin America Institute of Freie Universität Berlin, will be included in the Heisenberg Programme of the German Research Foundation (DFG). The funding is based at the Max-Weber-Kolleg for Cultural and Social Studies at the University of Erfurt.

Schmalz will conduct research at the Max Weber College on „Globalisation in the Cancer Course: New Lines of Conflict in the International Division of Labour“. The project is devoted to current conflicts which are being caused by the rise of China in the world economy. One focus is on disputes over Chinese direct investment in the high-tech sector. It discusses what ‚deglobalisation‘ means. Schmalz also plans to conduct research in China and the USA in the coming years.

The Heisenberg Programme is aimed at „outstanding scientists“ whose research projects are characterised by „high scientific quality and originality“. Hartmut Rosa, Director of the Max-Weber-Kolleg: „In this project, which focuses on problems of the international division of labour using the example of China, we also see great potential for inter-faculty cooperation with colleagues at the Faculty of Economics, Law and Social Sciences, and especially the Willy Brandt School.“