Center for Uncertainty Studies Blog

CeUS Founding Director Silke Schwandt at the Conference "Navigating Uncertainty - Preparing Society for the Future" in 2023. © Universität Bielefeld / Philipp Ottendörfer

What are main goals of CeUS and how is the Center organized to connect researchers from so many disciplines? 

The Center for Uncertainty Studies is a platform for academic cooperation. We want to invite all members of CeUS, who are mainly located at Bielefeld University, to attend different formats of collaboration and networking such as Uncertainty Talks, Uncertainty Lunches, or our Research Afternoon which takes place once a term. During the research afternoons three colleagues from different fields and disciplines talk about the many ways in which uncertainty plays a role in their respective research. We have organized three of these events so far and have experienced very productive discussions which widened our understanding of uncertainty.

Becoming a member of CeUS is easy. Just contact us at ceus@uni-bielefeld.de! We are keen on expanding our network and learn from each other.

CeUS was founded about a year ago – What are your highlights so far? 

There were many highlights, but my personal favorite are the research afternoons in which I gain many new perspectives and insights into different concepts and aspects of uncertainty. I enjoy the lively discussions and the productive irritation that I am confronted with.

What role does Uncertainty play in your research?

In my own research, uncertainty plays a role as a research topic as well as in my methodological reflections. One of my research projects deals with the modes of navigating uncertainty in medieval legal courts in England. Law and legal practice are closely linked to different forms and types of uncertainty. Laws and rules are often formulated in a way which leaves a certain aspect of the case open to allow decisions to be made. This leads to a necessary uncertainty on the side of the litigants. But uncertainty also plays a role in the social context of the courts. The early English legal system knows several different courts of different regional extent, such as village courts, hundred courts, or county courts, for example. Within this system, many people who are involved in different roles in court all know each other rather well which potentially diminishes the necessary uncertainty of a legal decision when the judge or the jury is part of a higher social class than the defendant (e.g. if the case involves tenants and landlords). Hence, it can be interesting and strategically relevant for litigants to increase the unpredictability and thereby the uncertainty.

Regarding my work in the field of Digital History, the uncertainty that I am dealing with comes from the innovation of research methods and objects through datafication. Here, the uncertainty is consciously introduced into the research process to achieve scientific innovation. 

To what extent is interdisciplinarity important in your work? 

Interdisciplinarity is built into my work on many levels. Within the Digital Humanities it is essential since no projects can be conducted in just one discipline. Methodological and epistemological reflections are genuinely interdisciplinary, since different competencies are necessary from different realms: from the humanities as well as from computer science. But additionally, our approach to Uncertainty Studies itself is genuinely interdisciplinary since the problems and challenges cannot be solved by one discipline alone. The interdisciplinary discussions are key to our joint projects.

What would you like to accomplish at the Center for Uncertainty Studies in the future?

For the future, I want the Center to remain a buzzing hub for academic exchange, where we develop ideas for new interdisciplinary projects which let us to deal with uncertainty in different academic and social realms.

To sum it up: Do you have specific strategies in your personal or professional life to deal with uncertainty?

Most of the time, I become quiet and try to reflect the situation in order to remain in control. Personally, I am not very good at embracing the chances of uncertainty.

Thank you very much!