Program Overview

SINTA Studies in the Arts

The SINTA is a unique doctoral program in Switzerland, combining artistic and scientific approaches. It is offered by the Faculty of Philosophy and History at the University of Bern and the Bern University of the Arts. The program fosters innovative dissertation projects at the intersection of art and science, focusing on research and reflection of artistic practices, design, and aesthetic issues.

Program Description

The SINTA program is interdisciplinary and practice-oriented, placing the research and reflection of artistic practices, design, and aesthetic issues at its core. It provides doctoral students with access to the networks of both universities, offering a vibrant environment for their research.

Research Areas

• Innovative dissertation projects at the intersection of art and science
• Research and reflection of artistic practices
• Design and aesthetic issues
• Interdisciplinary and practice-oriented approaches

Publications

The SINTA program has published several works, including:

• Studies in the Arts II (2023): This publication explores how artistic practice enables new insights, focusing on design research and its societal potential.
• Studies in the Arts (2021): This book connects theory and practice with examples from interpretation, music reception, and design, highlighting the role of artistic practice as an instrument of knowledge.
• Sterben gestalten (2024): A collection of essays on the process of dying and the perspectives behind it, contributed by SINTA doctoral students.
• Imaginary Ecologies (2024): A photo collection of natural objects and landscapes inspired by the spirit of a cabinet of curiosities, published by a SINTA PhD candidate.
• The Prize of Success (2024): An analysis of the links between the Swiss Design Awards and the emergence of a new Swiss design culture, written by a SINTA alumnus.
• Kunstfiguren (2024): A collection of essays on aesthetic strategies and performative practices of artistically designed identities, co-authored by a SINTA doctoral student.

Events

The SINTA program hosts various events, including:

• Public lectures, such as the "Ethics, Politics and Epistemology of Care" lecture
• Workshops, like the "Workshops on Ethics, Politics, and Epistemology of Care"
• Writing intensives, where doctoral students can focus on their dissertation writing
• Exhibitions, such as "Waterscape Imaginaries" and "Von A bis FW"