„On the way to the Fluvial Anthroposphere” is a Priority Programme funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DfG). Seven different teams at different research institutes are researching the pre-industrial floodplains of Central Europe and their development through the interactions of anthropogenic societies and natural processes, with the aim of understanding the role of humans as decisive shapers in the development of a Fluvial Anthroposphere.
Priority Programme
The Priority Programme 2361 „On the way to the Fluvial Anthroposphere” is funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG). The programme comprises 7 research projects in Germany and Austria, as well as a coordination funds. It is dedicated to the research on pre industrial floodplains in Central Europe and the societies that lived in the vicinity of these floodplains. Floodplains are considered global hotspots of sensitive socio-ecological change and are dynamic landscapes of cultural and natural significance.
Research interest
The research aims to understand the influence of humans on the development of floodplains, in particular when and why humans became a significant factor in this process. By focusing on the Middle Ages and the pre-industrial modern period and systematically integrating historical, archaeological and geoscientific data, the priority programme aims to understand these interactions.
The aim is to answer the key questions on the development of floodplains by focussing on humans as the main shapers. The underlying question is: How have human activities in interaction with natural processes shaped the floodplain landscapes of Central Europe?
Research approach
The Priority Programme 2361 pursues a multidisciplinary research approach. It aims at an in-depth analysis of the interaction between humans and their environment in fluvial areas. By studying river courses such as the Rhine, the Elbe and the Danube in Central Europe during the medieval and pre-industrial modern periods, the Programme aims to gain insights into when and why human activities became decisive factors in shaping floodplains. The focus is on understanding the historical and ecological contexts and integrating different innovative methodological approaches.
Disciplines involved
- History
- Archaeology
- Geography