Industrial Archaeology: History of the Automobile Industry (V)

It is unlikely that any other artifact of the industrial age has shaped and influenced the industrial society of the 20th century in such a lasting way as the automobile. Its development as well as its social and cultural function from a means of transportation for a few rich people to the individual mass transportation of the present, to an everyday object and cult object at the same time, by whose production and use our society today is decisively shaped in (almost) all areas, will be presented and analyzed in the lecture.

Industrial Culture: Coal, Iron and Steel - On the Industrial Culture of the Verbund Economy in the 20th Century (V)

In the iron and steel industry, the so-called Verbund economy is characterized by the efficient and rational utilization of the energy potential of blast furnace gas and coke oven gas. In the course of the 20th century, this type of gas network was used in many integrated iron and steel mills around the world, with its main innovative foundations dating from the end of the 19th century to around 1930. The industrial integrated economy is thus based on the development strands of both the coal mining industry and the iron and steel industry in the first phase of industrialization, which then took effect with consequences for the chemical and electrical industries.

If, for example, the Ruhr region until recently aspired to become part of the UNESCO World Cultural Heritage as an industrial cultural landscape beyond the Zollverein 12 mine, then the criteria of the industrial integrated economy and its material evidence are particularly in view. Nevertheless, the development of the industrial economy in the heavy industry in the mentioned periods is at least a European, if not even a global phenomenon. The lecture will address this, focusing on the material evidence of the former composite industry.

Science - Technology - Society: An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science (V)

The lecture offers an introduction to the manifold contexts of the development of science and technology as well as their social, economic, political, cultural and scientific environment from antiquity to the present.

It is intended to provide an approach to a balanced evaluation of the complex problems of the development of the scientific and technological foundations of our modern industrial and service society, and thus ultimately to contribute to a more responsible approach to natural science and technology in the present.

Focus of topics:

• Social forms in changing times
• Theoretical foundations of science, engineering, Social Sciences and Humanities
• Values and Value Systems in Scientific and Technological Activity
• Evolution of the Modern Scientific and Technological Worldview
• Role of Science and Technology in the Industrial Age
• Technification of Society and Socialization of Technology
• Development and Consequences of Sociotechnical Systems

Technology History 2: History of Technology from the Pre-Industrial Period to High Industrialization (V)

In continuation of the lecture History of Technology in Antiquity and the Middle Ages, this course covers the period from the Renaissance to high industrialization in the 19th century. Century. The development of technology and natural sciences will be placed in the context of the general history of politics, economy and society. The aim of the course is to provide a summary overview of the lines of development and developmental tendencies of technology in the Renaissance and early modern period through the pre- to high industrialization.

Participation in the course is independent of attendance of the other two parts.

Cultural History of Mineralogy, Geology and Geodesy (V)

The course is devoted to diverse aspects from the history of geology and mineralogy. In addition to the historiography of the disciplines, this concerns, for example, the emergence of collections for scientific purposes and their cultural significance over time, the adaptation of scientific theories and findings of the disciplines in art and literature, but also approaches to geotourism. The focus is on developments in Germany, and more broadly in Europe.

General Environmental History (V)

The general introduction to environmental history is available as a digital preserve (see offerings on the IWTG website). In support of the industrial archaeology project seminar, this summer semester's lecture will decidedly cover an environmental history of water. This concerns preferably the manifold forms of hydraulic engineering, the supply of drinking water, the disposal of wastewater, and the industrial use of water. Of scientific historical interest is the question of when water became H2O, as well as an account of the history of limnology and water analysis. "Water as an element of world heritage sites" as well as "Water in the cultural landscape" are to be mentioned here as examples of further topics.

Museology II (V/S)

Building on the general foundations of the lecture "Museology I", the course provides an introductory overview of historical museology. In the seminar part, students will then work independently on the overall topic "Age of the Modern Museum". Using case studies, the first museum boom in the 19th century will be contrasted with that in the second half of the 20th century. Special attention will be paid to the different types of museums.

Practical Museology (S)

The seminar brings together knowledge from museology and cultural heritage protection with the skills acquired in other modules of the Industrial Culture and Industrial Archaeology courses. Within the framework of an overall museum project, students are expected to complete tasks independently and present the results achieved. The module extends over two semesters in order to be able to work on the project-related steps in realistic time frames.

Environmental History: History of Environment - Water matters (S)

The use of water in history was always essential for human societies. Water scarcity was a threat to living conditions, and so all over the world we can notice different approaches to handle the problem. The seminar will focus on the role of water supply for agriculture and as drinking water, and also deal with the role of water in cultural history.

The students will each have to give an in-class presentation (20-30 minutes plus discussion) and hand in a seminar paper (12 pages) until the end of the term. They will be enabled to research for information needed for doing so in the library and the internet.

Conservation of Cultural Property II (S)

This course delves into important working methods from museology and collection conservation. First, exemplary ways of dealing with cultural objects and natural scientific methods of investigation are presented, which are applied in the collection practice. Subsequently, objects are examined from a materials science perspective. The main topic this semester is "Compatibility". For this purpose, the seminar participants will create documentation on corresponding objects from the collections of the TU Bergakademie Freiberg under guidance.