In the vibrant, ever-expanding field of visual culture and sound studies, our department focuses on four clearly defined areas. A research project funded by the BMBF and co-directed by Alexander Dunst, "Digital and Cognitive Approaches to Graphic Literature" explores graphic novels and comics from a Digital Humanities perspective. Jarmila Mildorf leads a project called "Audionarratology," investigating the interface of narrative and sound. Several projects located at the department investigate the history of photography, in its American context (Christoph Ribbat) and in the UK (Merle Tönnies). Finally, Hollywood cinema, transnational film, and visual culture constitute central research and teaching areas in the department (Alexander Dunst, Christina Flotmann, Alexandra Hartmann, Christoph Singer, Sara Strauß,  Miriam Strube).