847903 SE PhDSeminar 1: Discourse

Discourse and State of the Art

The seminar examines the different meanings of discourse and state of the art (SoA) and their links.  Discourse is generally understood as the sum of positions within a disciplinary discussion; a dissertation should be able to position itself within this.
A SoA is usually seen as a fundamental part of a dissertation, in which the state of knowledge of a field is discussed in relation to a research question; the SoA is thus a tool to recognize a research gap. The seminar should contribute to expanding the concept of a SoA towards a dynamic dialog between the research question and a current discourse. A SoA is therefore not a static “foundation” but a methodological instrument for reflection over the entire duration of the PhD.