Cultural turns : new orientations in the study of culture; trans. by adam blauhut

The contemporary fields of the study of culture, the humanities and the social sciences are unfolding in a dynamic constellation of cultural turns. This book provides a comprehensive overview of these theoretically and methodologically groundbreaking reorientations. It discusses the value of the new focuses and their analytical categories for the work of a wide range of disciplines. In addition to chapters on the interpretive, performative, reflexive, postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turns, it discusses emerging directions of research. Drawing on a wealth of international research, this book maps central topics and approaches in the study of culture and thus provides systematic impetus for changed disciplinary and transdisciplinary research in the humanities and beyond – e.g., in the fields of sociology, economics and the study of religion. This work is the English translation by Adam Blauhut of an influential German book that has now been completely revised. It is a stimulating example of a cross-cultural translation between different theoretical cultures and also the first critical synthesis of cultural turns in the English-speaking world. - First comprehensive overview on cultural turns in the English-speaking world Acknowledgements Table of Contents Introduction: Cultural Turns – New Orientations in the Study of Culture 1 Mapping the Study of Culture – German and Anglo-American Discourses The “Field” of the Study of Culture The Transformation of Theory – A Paradigm Shift? Refiguration through “Blurred Genres” New Orientations through “Heightened Scholarly Awareness”? Turns – A Shift from Object of Study to Analytical Category 2 Changing Currents of Theory – Changing Pioneering Disciplines The Linguistic Turn Cultural Turns after the Linguistic Turn The Impact of the Turn Orientations on the Study of Culture References Chapter I: The Interpretive Turn 1 The Formation of the Interpretive Turn 2 The Meaning-Oriented Concept of Culture Methodological Approaches: Synecdochic Mode, Contextualization, Thick Description 3 The Metaphor of “Culture as Text” Self-Interpretation Critical Positions 4 The Interpretive Turn in Different Disciplines 5 The Interpretive Turn as “Cultural Critique” References Chapter II: The Performative Turn 1 The Formation of the Performative Turn 2 The Anthropological Analysis of Ritual – An Impetus for the Performative Turn 3 Liminality and Cultural Innovation Ritual Social Drama 4 The Performative Turn in Different Disciplines 5 Further Developments of the Performative Approach References Chapter III: The Reflexive Turn/Literary Turn 1 The Formation of the Reflexive Turn 2 The Crisis of Representation 3 The Reflexive/Rhetorical/Literary Turn in Different Disciplines 4 Further Developments of the Reflexive Turn References Chapter IV: The Postcolonial Turn 1 The Formation of the Postcolonial Turn 2 Characteristics and Key Concepts of the Postcolonial Turn Writing Back (Re-writing), Re-mapping and Critique of the Canon Hybridity Third Space Identity 3 The Postcolonial Turn in Different Disciplines 4 New Critical Impetus for the Postcolonial Turn References Chapter V: The Translational Turn 1 The Formation of the Translational Turn 2 The Cultural Turn in Translation Studies 3 The Concept of Culture – Culture as Translation 4 Translational Pragmatics – Translation as a Social and Cultural Practice 5 Politics of Translation – Conflicts and Breaks in the Translation Process 6 Epistemological and Methodological Dimensions of the Translational Turn 7 The Translational Turn in Different Disciplines References Chapter VI: The Spatial Turn 1 The Formation of the Spatial Turn 2 Spatial Concepts and the Turn toward Spatial Thinking Social Spaces and Imaginary Geographies Transnational Spaces Thirdspace Spatial Representation and Modes of Mapping 3 Space as an Analytical Category 4 The Spatial Turn in Different Disciplines References Chapter VII: The Iconic Turn/Pictorial Turn 1 The Formation of the Iconic Turn/Pictorial Turn 2 From Art History to an Interdisciplinary Image Science? Positions of the Iconic Turn Art History or Historical Image Science? Visual Media Science Anthropology of Images Interdisciplinary Image Science Transcultural Image Studies Visual Culture/Visual Studies 3 An Iconic Turn Instead of a Linguistic Turn – From Visual Knowledge to an Iconic Epistemology? 4 The Iconic Turn/Pictorial Turn in Different Disciplines References Outlook: Are the Cultural Turns Leading to a Turn in the Humanities and Study of Culture? 1 A Religious Turn versus Secular Criticism 2 Neurobiological Challenges – Approaches and Limits of a Neuroscientific Turn 3 Digital and Transcultural Challenges – Approaches of a Digital and a Global Turn 4 Conclusion References Index

The contemporary fields of the study of culture, the humanities and the social sciences are unfolding in a dynamic constellation of cultural turns. This book provides a comprehensive overview of these theoretically and methodologically groundbreaking reorientations. It discusses the value of the new focuses and their analytical categories for the work of a wide range of disciplines. In addition to chapters on the interpretive, performative, reflexive, postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turns, it discusses emerging directions of research.
Drawing on a wealth of international research, this book maps central topics and approaches in the study of culture and thus provides systematic impetus for changed disciplinary and transdisciplinary research in the humanities and beyond – e.g., in the fields of sociology, economics and the study of religion.
This work is the English translation by Adam Blauhut of an influential German book that has now been completely revised. It is a stimulating example of a cross-cultural translation between different theoretical cultures and also the first critical synthesis of cultural turns in the English-speaking world.

"This book provides a comprehensive overview of cultural turns--ground-breaking theoretical reorientations in the study of culture, the humanities and the social sciences. It features chapters on the interpretive, performative, reflexice, postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turns while introducing emerging developments. This translation of an influential German classic--completely revised--is the first synthesis of cultural turns in the English-speaking world." This book provides a comprehensive overview of cultural turns - ground breaking theoretical reorientations in the study of culture, the humanities and the social sciences. It features chapters on the interpretive, performative, reflexive, postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turns while introducing emerging developments. This translation of a revised German classic is the first synthesis of cultural turns in the English-speaking world Provides a comprehensive overview of cultural turns - theoretical reorientations in the study of culture, the humanities and the social sciences. This book features chapters on the interpretive, performative, reflexive, postcolonial, translational, spatial and iconic turns while introducing emerging developments.