Title of the project
The genesis of world knowledge - How the object becomes knowledge
Management
Prof Dr Matthias Glaubrecht, Prof Dr Walter Erhart (Bielefeld University) funded by the DFG
Research assistant: Dr Monika Sproll
Doctoral project: Anne MacKinney (2018-2019)Org. categorisation
Department of Animal Biodiversity
Description of the
On an expedition around the world with the "Rurik"
In August 1815, the poet and naturalist Adelbert von Chamisso (1781-1838) set off on a three-year voyage around the world on the Russian ship "Rurik". It took him across the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean, to the coasts of Asia and America and to the Arctic.
To mark the anniversary of the voyage from 1815 to 1818, this interdisciplinary research project is looking into and analysing the notes taken on the journey. The project will analyse Chamisso's travel diaries, manuscripts and his natural and cultural scientific findings.
The research project thus aims to (re)discover an author who, with his dual profession and as a crossover artist and mediator between literature and natural history, has hardly been recognised to date.
Chamisso's manuscripts as an annotated complete edition
Chamisso was already one of the canonised authors of German literary history in the 19th century - often compared to Alexander von Humboldt, for example. His account of the "Rurik" expedition, "Journey around the World", has long been one of the most important travel works of the period around 1800.
In addition to accompanying studies, for example on the natural history findings, one of the main aims of the project is the annotated edition of the digitally available holdings and records in the SBB's manuscript archive that form the basis of Chamisso's travelogues and specialist publications.
This body of work is to be made available as a hybrid edition (printed and digital) and accompanied by a literary and natural history commentary.
Evidence-based strategy for biodiversity assessment
Our evidence-based biodiversity assessment strategy includes historical populations and provides critical information for conserving and saving biodiversity. Our network of experts combines monitoring, genome sequencing, statistical population genome analyses and ecological niche modelling with policy makers and stakeholders in the field of biodiversity conservation.
BIGFOOT will provide specific and general genomic assessment criteria for populations in decline that are applicable to biodiversity on a global scale
