Initiative for Strengthening the Visibility of Egyptological Research

Egyptology has always been interdisciplinary. As an area studies, the different branches of our subject have had wide-ranging influences—such as that of Georges Perrot, Charles Chippiez, and Heinrich Schäfer on art history, George Reisner and W. M. Flinders Petrie on archaeological research around the world, and Jan Assmann on the field of memory studies. However, as the discipline has developed, internal specialisation has increased, and results and conclusions are becoming less accessible to non-Egyptological researchers. At the same time, while the last 50 years have seen a heightened appreciation for the import of methodologies and theories from other fields, Egyptological exports that deliberately aim at the wider academic community remain low.

At the dawn of Egyptology’s third century, Egyptologists have both successfully received and adapted approaches from other areas, and themselves developed hypotheses and methods which, in turn, can be fruitfully applied to the study of diverse cultural phenomena. In order to unlock the full potential of our work, it is essential that we more actively reach out to other fields, participate in interdisciplinary discussions, and give Egyptology a stronger voice in ongoing scientific and societal debates. The strength of the humanities lies in the development of ever new ways to understand the human mind and human actions, in the past and the present. Only by integrating our quickly growing insights into a broader interdisciplinary and transcultural endeavour will they unfold their full meaning and effect.  

The Egyptological Outreach Strategies (EOS) initiative aims to promote and support Egyptological outreach towards other fields in all its forms, thus advancing its interdisciplinary visibility. It intends to function as a forum for the development of research, discussions, and information with the potential to make Egyptological research accessible to other academic audiences. This means fostering both the understanding of ancient Egyptian material from the viewpoint of other disciplines, as well as the understanding of material from other cultures via Egyptological frameworks. The founders of the initiative are themselves strongly engaged in interdisciplinary exchange and networks, and look forward to enhancing the visibility of Egyptological research in collaboration with others.

In a first step, EOS is launching a survey to assess current trends regarding Egyptologists’ engagement with other fields of knowledge. The analysis of the collected data will allow us to better understand current outreach strategies, jointly refine priorities, and plan future actions—including EOS events dedicated to exploring new ways of strengthening Egyptology’s visibility in interdisciplinary dialogues. 

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Dr. Frederik Rogner, Vienna, initiator and co-founder of the EOS Initiative

Dr. Romane Betbeze, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, co-founder

Guilherme Borges Pires, MA, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, co-founder

Geirr Lunden, MA, University of Basel, co-founder

Asst. Prof. Dr. Luiza Osorio G. Silva, University of California, Irvine, co-founder

Dr. Dina Serova, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, co-founder

Please feel free to contact us at outreach-strategies@hotmail.com.

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Any use of the EOS logo which has not been authorised by Dr. Frederik Rogner is strictly prohibited.