International

workshop

DISPOSITIF:
theory, methodology & practice

Universit du Luxembourg

20-21 June 2014

Organized by Maastricht University,

Universit du Luxembourg, Rijksuniversiteit Groningen

&
In close relation to the NWO-funded research project:

Changing Platforms of Ritualized Memory Practices

The Cultural Dynamics of Home Movies

Workshop: Dispositif: theory, methodology & practice

Location: Universit du Luxembourg
Date: June 20-21st, 2014
Organizers: Prof. Dr. Andreas Fickers (Universit du Luxembourg), Dr. Jack Post &
Tim van der Heijden, M.A. (Maastricht University)

Introduction
This international workshop, jointly organized by Maastricht University and the University of
Luxembourg, aims at bringing together different perspectives and approaches to the
multidimensional concept of dispositif. The theoretical concept of dispositif emerged in French
post-structuralism in the late 1970s, among others in the works of Michel Foucault and Jean-Louis
Baudry, to describe the ideological processes of subject construction throughout (technological)
apparatuses in socio-spatial contexts. Over the past decades, especially within French and German
academia and more recently also within Anglo-Saxon academic worlds, the concept has been
developed as an increasingly important analytical and methodological tool for research in the
humanities and social sciences.
The workshop reflects on both the historical development and current implementation of the
dispositif-concept as an analytical and methodological tool for analysis. During the two-day
workshop, experts and (PhD-) researchers in the fields of film studies, media history, philosophy and
science & technology will present and reflect upon their work in relation to the dispositif-concept,
albeit from a theoretical, historical and/or methodological perspective.
The dispositif-workshop will be organized in close relation to the NWO-funded research project
Changing Platforms of Ritualized Memory Practices - The Cultural Dynamics of Home Movies (2012-
2015), a collaboration between Maastricht University, University of Groningen, and the University of
Luxembourg. In this research project, which aims at studying the relations between changing
technologies of memory production (film, video, digital media) and memory practices in family film,
the concept of dispositif provides a multidimensional framework for studying the complex
interrelations between media technologies, their mediated content, perception and/or cultural
meaning(s). The workshop is also one of the outcomes of topical sessions on dispositif held from
September 2013 to March 2014 in the Media & Aesthetics reading-group of the Arts, Media &
Culture research program of the Faculty of Arts & Social Sciences, Maastricht University.
The expected output of the workshop will be a collective publication (book or special issue).

Program workshop (provisional)

Friday 20.06.2014
14.00 16.00

Session 1

Dispositif as analytical tool

In this session the concept of dispositif will be explored as an analytical tool from two historical
perspectives. After the introduction of the dispositif-concept in film studies, philosophy and media
studies, two parallel movements developed in French and German academia.
Presentations by two experts, i.e. Olivier Lugon (Lausanne) (French perspective) and Knut Hickethier
(Hamburg) (German perspective).
Commenter(s): Frank Kessler (Utrecht) and/or Georg Mein (Dean of Faculty of Language and
Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (Universit du Luxembourg))
16.00 16.30

Break

16.30 18.30

Session 2

Dispositif as methodological approach

In this session the dispositif will be discussed as a proven methodology in various disciplines such as
media history, ethnography, anthropology, and media archeology.
Presentations by Andreas Fickers (Luxembourg) on the dispositif as a methodological approach in the
field of Media History, and by Martin Loiperdinger (Trier) on the historical reenactments of the
Laterna Magica.
Commenter(s): Annie van den Oever (Groningen) and Mikael Hard (Darmstadt)
19.30

Dinner

Saturday 21.06.2014
9.00 12.00

Session 3

Using dispositif in current research

Short presentations (+- 10 minutes each) on current research in which the concept of dispositif has
been used. Provisional list of presenters:
- Jack Post (Maastricht) (on printing press / typography)
- Tim van der Heijden (Maastricht) (on amateur film)
- Tom Slootweg (Groningen) (on amateur video)
- Mercedes Bunz (Bielefeld) (on dispositif in digital humanities & journalism studies)
- Ike Kamphof (on dementia and care technologies) (Maastricht)
- Martin Doll (Luxembourg) (on the fake)

- Maarten Michielse (Maastricht) (on online musical practices)

- Christian Olesen (Amsterdam) (on digital dispositives in contemporary film historiography)
Referee / Commentator: Bart Verschaffel (Gent)
12.00 13.30

Lunch

13.30 15.00

Session 4

Wrap up session
Concluding session with reflections on recurring issues and closing remarks.
Final reflection(s): Andreas Hepp (Bremen), Markus Stauff (Amsterdam), Michael Astroh (Greifswald)
Concluding remarks: Andreas Fickers (Luxembourg)

Potential Participants
Prof. Dr. Andreas Fickers (Luxembourg) (organizer)
Dr. Jack Post (Maastricht) (organizer)

M.A. Tim van der Heijden (Maastricht) (organizer)
Dr. Susan Aasman (Groningen) (organizer)
Dr. Jo Wachelder (Maastricht) (organizer)
M.A. Tom Slootweg (Groningen) (organizer)

Prof. Dr. Andreas Hepp (Bremen)
Prof. Dr. Annie van den Oever (Groningen)
Prof. Dr. Michael Astroh (Greifswald)
Prof. Dr. Bart Verschaffel (Gent)

Prof. Dr. Olivier Lugon (Lausanne)


Prof. Dr. em. Knut Hickethier (Hamburg)

Prof. Dr. Frank Kessler (Utrecht)


Prof. Dr. Georg Mein (Luxembourg)
Prof. Dr. Martin Loiperdinger (Trier)

Prof. Dr. Mikael Hard (Darmstadt)


Prof. Dr. Sonja Kmec (Luxembourg)

Dr. Markus Stauff (Amsterdam)


Dr. Annika Richterich (Maastricht)
Dr. Ike Kamphof (Maastricht)


Dr. Jessica Mesman (Maastricht)
Dr. Martin Doll (Luxembourg)
Dr. Mercedes Bunz (Bielefeld / journalist Guardian)
Dr. Stefan Krebs (Maastricht)
Dr. Steffi de Jong (Maastricht)
Dr. Vivian van Saaze (Maastricht)
M.A. Anne-Katrin Weber (Lausanne)
M.A. Christian Olesen (Amsterdam)
M.A. Maarten Michielse (Maastricht)

M.A. Niels Kerssens (Amsterdam)