TIRF Newsletter Issue Date: January 2015
Link(s): https://www.uni-giessen.de/fbz/faculties/gcsc/gcsc
Description: The International Graduate Center for the Study of Culture (GCSC) at Justus-Liebig University in Giessen, Germany offers systematic and structured support for doctoral and post-doctoral researchers in a team environment. Two of its main goals are 1) to provide its members with opportunities for an interdisciplinary and international dialogue while they are working on their own research projects, and 2) to enable them to gain a wide variety of additional academic qualifications. Here, young scholars can find an interdisciplinary context that will support them in the development of their research interests.
Examples of Activities:
- There are eight Research Areas (RAs) of the GCSC provide the necessary framework to achieve these two aims. Among these RAs are: Media and Multiliteracy Studies (RA5); Cultural Identities (RA6); Cultures of Knowledge, Research, and Education (RA8). Together with other doctoral students, postdocs, and professors, GCSC members organize projects and events in these research areas. These events include symposia, lecture series, and regional and international conferences.
- Various interest sections and research project groups as well as emerging topics working groups have been constituted, which are systematically fostered by the Center. Three examples are the working groups on Game Studies, on Empirical Social Research, and on Foreign-Language Teaching/Learning with Digital Distribution and Communication Media.
- The Teaching Center of the GCSC provides a unique service to prospective university teachers: A structured program, designed to qualify doctoral students to teach, offers not only the opportunity to become familiar with participant-based and task-based approaches to university teaching and learning, but also useful support in planning and running academic courses.
