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The Unifying Aspects of Cultures

SECTION:

Creative Contexts

Chair of the section/Suggestions, Abstracts, Papers to:
Email: Simone Griesmayr (Linz)

ABSTRACT: If we inquire about the way interaction between people functions or about how it works in groups or networks, we can find numerous theories on the subject, be they environmentally focused, evolutionary, anthropological, philosophical, mathematical, economic or from different sociological perspectives, etc. However, what seems to unite them all is, that along with more or less countless factors, which are quantifiable or measurable in some form or other, there is common to all one influential variable, which contributes a great deal to the functioning of the environment or networks but appears scarcely operational. In order to declare this diffuse "something," which appears to refuse reconstruction, concepts like culture, common values, synergy or "the whole going beyond its individual parts," or something similar are utilized. In our section we would like to present and discuss different opinions on this topic and introduce additional artistic and scholarly projects in the context of this background.

Creative contexts understands itself as an experimental laboratory, which is open to everyone interested. The central focus is the social space or the organization of creative accomplishments. At the same time, however, economic, regional-political or technological factors stand in the background. What contribution does the so-called common culture, shared values, etc. make, so that purposeful relationships or chance social constellations develop a stable milieu or a strong organization, which enables creativity? What does synergy mean in this context? Can the functioning of such a network really be adequately explained by transaction costs, implicit rules or the new division of work instituted by Ford?

This section welcomes everyone who is interested. We especially invite students or people from artistic fields to bring their ideas, concepts, projects or theoretical works on these questions to the section.

THE UNIFYING ASPECTS OF CULTURES