The Research Training Group "The Romantic Model"

is creating a new foundation for interdisciplinary and international research into the reception of Romanticism in Europe and across the Atlantic. Specifically, we account for the visibility of the terms ‘Romanticism’ and ‘Romantic’ as well as the remarkable persistence of the ideas and practices associated with them by assuming that ‘model creation processes’ have taken place since the foundation of early Romanticism in Jena around 1800. These processes continue to enable the productive adoption of Romantic modes of interpreting phenomena, creating art, reflecting on the self and experiencing the world. Using current model theories, we are shedding new light on the reception and ‘model effect’ of Romanticism in various cultural and national contexts, and at the interfaces between different social and epistemic areas. Among other things, these model theories provide a methodological framework for innovatively linking research in the humanities and social sciences. The Research Training Group includes researchers from various philologies (German, Romance-languages, English, American, Slavic and comparative studies), musicology, theology, history of science, sociology, art history, history and computational linguistics.

The production of quality PhD theses is encouraged by a study programme that guarantees communication across the group while also supporting the development of autonomous research profiles. Courses in cultural journalism and municipal marketing along with practical training at writers’ retreats, foundations and museums all help PhD students to disseminate their ideas, ensure broad-based skills and prepare for careers both within and outside academia. Currently, the second group of 14 doctoral students is working in the Group. Four further (post-)doctoral students are associated with the Research Training Group.

The Research Training Group "The Romantic Model" is funded by the German Research Foundation.

Funding period: 1 October 2015 to 30 September 2024.