This panel is going to deal with methodological questions. How to communicate the latest research in historical geography to the general public? And how to do this user-friendly? The panel will focus on three media of knowledge transfer: the book, the museum, and the world wide web.
The book is the classic way of getting historical geography across to a wide audience. In Germany, there are two regional and one nation-wide project(s) that compile and communicate information on complex phenomena of cultural landscapes. They have been publishing their research in three different series for three decades now. Comparing the current issues of the three series, methodological differences become evident, as their focus and way of presentation varies greatly. Consequently the question arises if the difference in target audience makes for a difference in presentation.
Museums worldwide have adjusted to modern consumerism today. A current comparative study on archeology museums shows that the classic archaeological exhibition, committed to scholarly principles, is on the decline. Today, museums rather present science as a staged event; some are even part of shopping malls. These findings raise the question whether museums dedicated to historical landscapes, such as open-air and agricultural museums, are part of this current trend in museum design and didactic approach.
Over the last twenty years, the world wide web has massively changed the way cultural landscapes and their elements are being documented and presented. In Germany, two different ways of presentation have emerged: open systems like wikis, and information platforms by regional or provincial authorities. While the latter assure a quality check of data provided online, the wiki system heavily relies on its contributors for knowledge supply and quality control. To work successfully, a wiki thus needs a wide variety of contributors with sufficient knowledge on the origin and history of cultural landscapes.
Comparing the different media mentioned above, the panel is going to outline current and future trends of knowledge transfer in historical geography. The ultimate aim is to help re-define a historical geography cognizant of its great potential for communicating research to the general public.
Location:Charles University Prague, Czech Republic
