Herbsttagung 2023

This year's autumn conference from 23 to 25 October 2023at Schloss Martin, Graz, will be on the topic of Space, Ritual and Power.

Space, power, and rituals are always produced and situated in a specific social context and thus have a specific function for that very social context. Power uses rituals and (modeled or empty) space to present and corroborate its claims, but it forms and takes, also spaces according to its interest. Space and rituals in turn may also shape (new forms of) power. Rituals as performative acts take place in a spatial environment, and hence, those performing them have to consider the available space and have options to re-shape it in the performative repetition which is intrinsic to ritual.
The conference aims at looking at the relations, interdependencies, and mutual influences of these three notions of space, power, and ritual, which are partaking in the formation of groups, communities, and societies against the background of resonance theory. Resonant experiences triggered by affection and emotion, leading to transformation can contribute to the production of space, to the generation and acknowledgment of power, and to the effectivness or failure of rituals.

Main themes are funerary spaces and rituals, urban spaces and rituals, divine power in text and material, mainstream vs. sub-culture, –

In order to shed light on the topic in a comprehensive way, we look for contributions from a broad field of disciplines (archaeology, art history, history, literary studies, sociology, theology) which cover a range of socio-historical and socio-cultural environments. The case studies should engage with the topic of space, power and ritual in a multidisciplinary scope, be clear about their methodoloiges and should put up their approaches to discussion.

Main thematic areas which should be covered by the contributions are funerary spaces and rituals, power of the dead, urban spaces and rituals, power of the city, the institutions, the groups, the individuals, divine spaces and power, literary spaces, mainstream vs. sub-culture spaces and rituals. These areas can be broadened.

The thematic areas will be covered by three to four of speakers who belong to various disciplines and historical periods, as well as institutions and academic age: doctoral researchers, an invited guest speaker, and faculty members or IGS-close experienced researchers.

The following questions might specify the themes and aims of the conference:

• In how far do rituals and space make power visible and stable? What are the methods and strategies of those in power or striving to gain power to make use or form spaces and rituals?
• What changes do rituals and/or space undergo when the system of power or hierarchies change? In what situtions and constellations do significant changes or only slight adaptations appear? When do new forms of power invent new rituals and form new shapes of space?
• In how far can rituals be transferred to new spaces? What is the difference between rituals bound to specific forms of space (i.g. augurium, football fans’ chants) and those independent from their setting or creating their setting?
• Where do appropriations of space happen and have an impact on the power relations (subversive and deviat actions, marginal groups and spaces)?
• How are spaces of religious, social or political power produced? 

The programme can be found here.

Thanks to Katharina Waldner's photos und Elisabeth Begemann's composition you can find some impressions of the conference here.