Dr. Anita Jóri
“This is our house and our house music” – Clubs as liminal spaces
Seminar, English/Deutsch, 2 SWS, 2 ECTS
Thursdays, 10-14 h: 26.10., 9.11., 23.11., 7.12., 21.12.2023, 18.1., 15.2.2024, Grunewaldstr. 2-5, room 110 (on 15.2. in room 306)
plus excursion between 30.1. and 4.2.2024 (tba)

Registration on Moodle starts 16.10.2023 / Anmeldung auf Moodle beginnt am 16.10.2023: https://moodle.udk-berlin.de/moodle/course/view.php?id=2017
Moodle Enrollment Key / Einschreibeschlüssel: ourhouse

Nightclubs are often associated with their transformational nature: they are spaces where new things can evolve and temporary rules are formed. They are also places where time becomes blurry and the connection between past, present and future is neither clear, nor important. Also, physical and psychological transitions are in the center of these spaces. Maybe they last for a night, but they can have a huge impact on individuals’ lives. Especially in Berlin, we can observe it more and more, since the local club culture plays a major role in many locals’ (and also outsiders’) lives and for many, especially for marginalized groups, clubs can be a refuge. 

This seminar discusses the roles of clubs in and beyond Berlin. Based on theories of sociology, philosophy and cultural studies, we clarify the notions of liminal spaces, third places, safer spaces, heterotopias and the Temporary Autonomous Zone. Furthermore, current issues, such as diversification, club closings and political debates, are also part of the discussions of the course. For that, the participants of the seminar are asked to read theoretical texts and conduct field research.

Requirements for the ungraded Studium Generale credit points: The participants of the seminar are asked to read theoretical texts and conduct field research.

Anita Jóri is a post-doc research associate at the Vilém Flusser Archive, Berlin University of the Arts. She is also a curator at CTM Festival’s Discourse programme. Jóri's research and publications focus on the discursive and terminological aspects of electronic dance music culture. She is also the author of the monograph ‘The Discourse Community of Electronic Dance Music’ (transcript, 2022) and one of the editors of ‘The New Age of Electronic Dance Music and Club Culture’ (Springer, 2020), ‘Musik & Empowerment’ (Springer, 2020) and ‘Musik & Marken’ (Springer, 2022).