idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Dedicated to the study of written artefacts from a global perspective, the Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures (CSMC) at Universität Hamburg has published the journal ‘manuscript cultures’ since 2008. With the 24th issue, it has been completely revamped and is now published as peer-reviewed Diamond Open Access journal hosted online by the Hamburg University Press.
Initially established as the newsletter of the research group ‘Manuscript Cultures in Asia and Africa’ in 2008, ‘manuscript cultures’ was transformed into a scholarly journal in 2011. With issue 24, a new interdisciplinary editorial team takes over, supported by a new scientific advisory board.
The aim of ‘manuscript cultures’ is to examine written artefacts from an interdisciplinary perspective. It presents new approaches to the study of written artefacts that benefit from the insights offered by the humanities, natural sciences, and information sciences and the collaboration between them. Written artefacts can include all handwritten products. Focussing on the written artefact, the journal challenges and transcends the restrictive definition of manuscript as ‘the handwritten book’ by including epigraphs, archival documents, graffiti, and any other product of handwriting. In particular, it promotes comparative approaches to written artefacts across geographic, cultural, and temporal spheres, as well as traditional disciplinary boundaries, that contribute to a larger historical and global survey of the role of written artefacts in ancient and modern cultures. In doing so, ‘manuscript cultures’ provides a new foundation for ongoing discussions in the broad field of cultural studies.
Starting with this issue, the English-language journal ‘manuscript cultures’ publishes according to the standards and policies of Hamburg University Press. These standards include formal quality standards such as detailed journal information (e.g. ethical guidelines), concepts for dealing with multilingualism, a scholarly-friendly rights policy that allows re-use (Creative Commons licenses, here CC-BY), complete, consistent article metadata, indexing and long-term archiving. The articles can be accessed by readers free of charge. In addition, the journal does not charge article processing charges. This means that ‘manuscript cultures’ fulfils all criteria of a Diamond Open Access journal. The editing of the journal is entirely in the hands of the editorial board and is therefore in line with scholar-led publishing.
The first issue in the new format, which has now been published, includes articles on illustrated Buddhist prints from tenth-century Dunhuang, the late-antique transmission of Aristotle’s Organon, the esoteric meaning of the Shabbat table and bread in the Lurianic kabbalah, and manuscript maps from the Harrer collection at the Ethnographic Museum at the University of Zurich.
With the migration to Hamburg University Press at the Hamburg State and University Library (SUB), the CSMC and the SUB deepen their comprehensive partnership, which, in addition to publications, also includes research, teaching, and outreach and is built on the shared interest in safeguarding manuscripts held in Hamburg and making them accessible to audiences in Hamburg and beyond.
Queries:
Dr. Jakob Hinze
Universität Hamburg
Centre for the Study of Manuscript Cultures
Exzellenzcluster "Understanding Written Artefacts”
Tel: +49 40 42838-9397
Email: jakob.hinze@uni-hamburg.de
Weblink to the journal:
https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/hup4/mc/index
https://journals.sub.uni-hamburg.de/hup4/mc/index The journal is hosted by the Hamburg State and University Library (SUB)
Criteria of this press release:
Journalists, Scientists and scholars, Students
Art / design, Cultural sciences, History / archaeology, Materials sciences, Social studies
transregional, national
Research results, Scientific Publications
English
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