information visualisation

Images in the broadest sense of the word (cf. the use of the term "text") are an essential element of scientific research as well as communication and look back on a long tradition (Daston/Galison 1992, Tufte 2001). They are not only able to communicate complex processes in an understandable way, but also contribute to new methodological insights. This is especially true for the so-called MINT subjects, where visualizations have become an integral part of research and science communication. One reason why visualizations are used much less in the humanities is that they usually deal with complex social processes that do not always allow for quantitative observation or can only be realized by using sophisticated computer programs (Cairo 2013).

In my research, I engage with different forms of visualizations in pursuit of two goals: to communicate scientific knowledge through alternative channels (and thus as an alternative and complement to texts in the strict sense) and to shed new light on the understanding of historical knowledge transfers. These include thematic maps, quantitative data visualizations, storymaps, or interactive and exploratory PDFs. My approach is strongly practice-based and is intended not only to communicate knowledge to an interested lay audience, but also and especially to be used between university disciplines.

_{Cairo, Alberto (2013) The functional art. An introduction to information graphics and visualization, Berkeley, California: New Riders.; Daston, Lorraine, Galison, Peter (1992) "The Image of Objectivity," Representations 40 (Special Issue: Seeing Science), 81-128; Tufte, Edward R. (2001) The visual display of quantitative information, Cheshire, Connecticut: Graphics Press.}