1 What is European Studies?
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Karin H. Zelano
Abstract
The chapter explores the question ‘What is European Studies?’ and aims to describe how European Studies is understood, practised and articulated by the scientific community at a point in time. The chapter proposes a conceptualisation of an academic field as consisting of an intellectual dimension (referring to actual research content) and a structural dimension (referring to the institutional components) and uses a novel methodological approach to perform a meta-analysis of European Studies as a field of study, research and practice. The chapter relies on a structured reading of recent academic publications discussing the field in combination with a qualitative content analysis of mission statements by academic affiliations and journals self-declaring as pertaining to European Studies. Findings suggest three distinguishing traits of European Studies: a fluid definition of Europe, disciplinary and thematic openness and an interplay between the intellectual and structural dimensions. The chapter provides a basis for understanding how European Studies is practised and understood by central adherents and identifies potential challenges and opportunities for the field in the future.
Abstract
The chapter explores the question ‘What is European Studies?’ and aims to describe how European Studies is understood, practised and articulated by the scientific community at a point in time. The chapter proposes a conceptualisation of an academic field as consisting of an intellectual dimension (referring to actual research content) and a structural dimension (referring to the institutional components) and uses a novel methodological approach to perform a meta-analysis of European Studies as a field of study, research and practice. The chapter relies on a structured reading of recent academic publications discussing the field in combination with a qualitative content analysis of mission statements by academic affiliations and journals self-declaring as pertaining to European Studies. Findings suggest three distinguishing traits of European Studies: a fluid definition of Europe, disciplinary and thematic openness and an interplay between the intellectual and structural dimensions. The chapter provides a basis for understanding how European Studies is practised and understood by central adherents and identifies potential challenges and opportunities for the field in the future.
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- About this book V
- Table of Contents VII
- List of Authors IX
- Towards non-unidisciplinary European Studies 1
-
Part I: Thinking about the “How’s” and “Why’s” of Non-unidisciplinary European Studies
- 1 What is European Studies? 17
- 2 A conceptual guide to non-unidisciplinary research in European Studies 35
- 3 European Studies as an interdisciplinary research field? A comprehensive empirical analysis of interdisciplinarity in European Studies 61
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Part II: Doing Non-unidisciplinary European Studies
- 4 Eating at the border. Gastronomy, regional identity and the Alsatian dialect 83
- 5 Ernesto Dethorey, a cultural mediator from the exile. Journalism, translation and networking 107
- 6 Exploring the potential of comics-based research: Concepts, examples and considerations 127
- 7 European research at the University of Gothenburg: Multi- and interdisciplinarity 157
- Index
Chapters in this book
- Frontmatter I
- About this book V
- Table of Contents VII
- List of Authors IX
- Towards non-unidisciplinary European Studies 1
-
Part I: Thinking about the “How’s” and “Why’s” of Non-unidisciplinary European Studies
- 1 What is European Studies? 17
- 2 A conceptual guide to non-unidisciplinary research in European Studies 35
- 3 European Studies as an interdisciplinary research field? A comprehensive empirical analysis of interdisciplinarity in European Studies 61
-
Part II: Doing Non-unidisciplinary European Studies
- 4 Eating at the border. Gastronomy, regional identity and the Alsatian dialect 83
- 5 Ernesto Dethorey, a cultural mediator from the exile. Journalism, translation and networking 107
- 6 Exploring the potential of comics-based research: Concepts, examples and considerations 127
- 7 European research at the University of Gothenburg: Multi- and interdisciplinarity 157
- Index
