We encounter animation everywhere: as visible illusion and invisible effect in film and TV; as moving information on electronic display boards; as interactive interface of smartphones and ticket machines; as user-generated, reused, or shared element on social media and video portals. Especially in German-speaking countries, however, institutionalized research on animation has been sporadic so far. As a result, existing work by German-speaking animation researchers is hardly visible nationally and internationally, and their potential contribution to current topics in media and cultural studies is often ignored.
The scientific network ‘Animation and Contemporary Media Culture. Challenges and Potentials of Animation Studies in the Digital Era' aims at the systematic profiling and internationalization of animation studies research from German-speaking countries and at the same time promotes strategic measures for the development and intensification of animation studies in Germany.
The focus is on current challenges of media culture, especially in the fields of digitalization, media convergence and globalization. Animation studies concepts are discussed in the network regarding their potential to contribute to the analysis and evaluation of current media developments. The network's approach includes regular virtual and on-site workshops as well as publications.
