3 The scientific field of activity of the ÖGE 18
Table of Contents
- A Brief Historical Overview
- 1. 1982: The goal and idea behind the foundation of the society
- 2 The members of the ÖGE 18 in 1982, 1992, 2002 and 2009
- 3 The scientific field of activity of the ÖGE 18
- 4 The web offensive of ÖGE 18
- Bibliography
Looking back on the past three decades of the society’s activities a wide variety of congresses, workshops and jour fixes can be accounted for. A coordinated research in terms of having a coherent concept of research for the Eighteenth Century was and is very difficult to accomplish due to the diversity of interests of its members and the changing board. The reconstruction of the activities manifests at the one hand the content related diversity and the interdisciplinary approach, and on the other hand a geographical expansion of its activities from mainly in Vienna (1980s), to the national level (1990s) and finally also to the international stage (since 2002). The two main objectives of the society have been since its foundation in 1982 the period of time and the geographical focus on the Habsburg Monarchy. While the former was mandatory, the latter was handled in a more flexible way. The ÖGE 18 as many societies before her has always been dedicated to mediate between scholars of various disciplines within the scientific community as well as between the scientific community itself and the broader public in an international, disciplinary, and content related open way. The topics discussed corresponded mostly with the interest of the board members, but also suggestions of members were considered and sometimes a call for papers was initiated.
The following account of the society’s scientific scope of action focuses on the jour-fixe system, the congresses, the publications, and on some web projects in a mainly descriptive way. Although the questions of the role and relevance of a society such as the ÖGE 18 for the Eighteenth Century Studies in Austria and abroad would be very fruitful and interesting to answer, the multidisciplinarity, the wide variety of subjects presented and discussed and their quantity would necessitate an author team from various discipline for a successful methodical evaluation. Thus the aim of this account will be to lay down the ground facts in a more descriptive nature and show the major developments and changes. Owing to the limited space of this paper I would like to refer to the ÖGE 18 website[26] for more detailed information on most of the activities such as programme, structure, and dates.
[26] See <https://oege18.org/tagungen/archiv> (14.02.2010).