Lasse Stodollick receives this year's JEV-fellowship

Lasse Stodollick (University of Constance, Ger) receives this year’s JEV-fellowship for European Administrative History. In a micro-study, the dissertation project 'Forms of Administrating' examines the evolutionary reciprocity between organizational structures and knowledge practices in the Prussian war and domain chamber Minden (1723-1805). It differs from classical studies by taking up Max Weber's postulate that administrative acts are formulated and recorded in writing. Furthermore it is assumed that the logistics and infrastructure of early modern administration are accompanied by communicative and institutional closure, as high literature criticized since the beginning of the European Enlightenment. While contents and results of monarchical decisions in the history of Prussia have been extensively examined, this project aims at changing the perspective: Taking a close look at Minden-Ravensberg, administrations are understood as information-processing social contexts in which knowledge is gathered, written down, compiled, and evaluated. Thus, everyday processes of obtaining and processing decision-relevant information are subject of research interest. They are questioned regarding their potential to create forms of administrating.