Words or Numbers?

Interdisciplinary, international, intergenerational and inter-institutional: a cooperation that started in 2011 involving researchers from the Zukunftskolleg and the Center of Excellence “Cultural Foundations of Social Integration” at the University of Konstanz resulted now in the volume “Berechnen/Beschreiben. Praktiken statistischen (Nicht-)Wissens 1750‐1850.” The editors are the Zukunftskolleg Fellows Gunhild Berg and Zsuzsanna Török, as well as Marcus Twellmann from the Center of Excellence. The volume builds on the results of the workshop „Literatur zwischen Staatenbeschreibung und Statistik. Narrative des (Nicht‐)Wissens in Mitteleuropa (1750‐1850) [Literature between Descriptions of Nations and Statistics. Narratives of Knowledge and Ignorance in Central Europe, 1750‐1850]“ that was held in Konstanz in December 2012.  “The project involved both internationally recognized professors and more junior scholars. It originated from discussions, debates, and interactions among scholars of different generations and stages of career, and involving various intellectual training,” explains Zsuzsanna Török. “What we share is a common interest in the question of knowledge production in the social and political context, in a period crucial for modern European state formation, comprised between 1750 and 1850, the so-called “Sattelzeit”. The methodological approach and the research perspective of the volume fosters new interdisciplinary research in the study of scientific and cultural practices in Central Europe.” The Zukunftskolleg cofunded the publishing costs.