Description
Born Digital, funded by the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung as part of the BWS plus Programme, focuses on the joint development of an online glossary of digital narrative in collaboration with the Center for Digital Narrative at the University of Bergen. The glossary will be expanded continuously by (early-career) researchers at Bergen and Stuttgart – and beyond.
Between 2023 and 2026, Born Digital offers stipends for (incoming and outgoing) MA/MEd and PhD students to support collaboration and exchange between the universities of Stuttgart and Bergen. In addition, we will organise joint (online) workshops (1) to involve a large number of students beyond the grantees, (2) to build and expand the glossary, (3) to spark and support research on digital narratives, and (4) to open up the project to interested researchers and students worldwide.
The Living Glossary of Digital Narrative (LGDN) was launched on 14 March 2025 as part of the collaboration between the University of Stuttgart and the CDN. It is a peer-reviewed glossary that will be expanded continuously through contributions from experts across different disciplines and career stages.
| If you would like to contribute to the glossary, you can find more information on our guidelines here. |
Coming Up
Workshop: New Terms, New Horizons - Conceptualizing Digital Narrative
Past Events
Events
25.09.2026 | BornDigital Workshop "New Terms, New Horizons"
07-08.05.2026 | Workshop "Imaginaries of the Future"
01.03.2026 | Submission deadline “Bite-Sized Stories with Big Impact” Born Digital Microfiction Contest
10-11.11.2025 | Workshop: How to Write a Bad-Ass Glossary Entry - Online
“Launch of The Glossary of Digital Narrative”, Center for Digital Narrative, University of Bergen
13.03.-14.03.2025 | Call for Presentations Weird Stories & Wicked Communities - University of Bergen, Center for Digital Narrative Call for Papers: https://www.ilw.uni-stuttgart.de/institut/aktuelles/news/13.-14.04--Call-for-Presentations---Weird-Stories--Wicked-Communities/.
13.03. - 14.03.2025 | Workshop Weird Stories, Wicked Communities (Center for Digital Narrative, University of Bergen)
30.09. - 01.10.2024 | Workshop Digital Futures of Literature - University of Stuttgart, KII, Room 17.23. Event announcement.
05.02.2024 | 10:00-12:00 | „Let’s Build a City: The Encyclopedia Project as Essential Work“ – Dr. Hannah Maria Leontine Ackermans – Online. Event announcement.
28.11.2023 | 13:00-14:00 | Go Digital at Stuttgart and Bergen! - Online.
Team
Participating researchers
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English Literatures and Cultures, University of Stuttgart (sibylle.baumbach@ilw.uni-stuttgart.de) |
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Center for Digital Narrative, University of Bergen (joseph.tabbi@uib.no)
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Center for Digital Narrative, University of Bergen (scott.Rettberg@uib.no)
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Student Assistants
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Institute for Literary Studies, Department of English Literatures and Cultures, University of Stuttgart |
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Institute for Literary Studies, Department of English Literatures and Cultures, University of Stuttgart |
Stipends in connection with the project - Go Digital at Stuttgart and Bergen!
- Master's students (MA/MEd.) and Ph.D. candidates, that are enrolled at the university of Stuttgart or at the university of Bergen in the Literary Studies and/or Digital Humanities departments and are interested in electronic literatures and digital narratives. Additionally they should be interested in contributing to the Living Glossary for Digital Narrative.
Students that are already working on their Master or Ph.D. theses are also welcome to apply.
- Exchange semester 5 months
- Research stays at least 3 months and maximum 5 months
Successful applicants will be granted a Baden-Württemberg stipend of 1.100,- euro/month during their stay in Bergen. The stipend is financed by the Baden Württemberg Stiftung (https://www.bw-stipendium.de/de/).
Successful applicants will have the opportunity to contribute to the Living Glossary of Digital Narratives, an online, open-access, dictionary on electronic literature.
At the university of Bergen:
- Scholarship holders can take classes by the department of Linguistic, Literary and Aesthetic Studies (https://www4.uib.no/en/studies/courses-for-exchange-students). They will also be granted access to the resources of the Center for Digital Narrative (https://www.uib.no/en/cdn) and they can partake in events and research colloquims organized by the Center. Furthermore attendance at the (online) colloquiums and meetings of the Born Digital projects is expected.
At the university of Stuttgart:
- At Stuttgart University, students will have the opportunity to participate in courses offered in English and American Studies (https://www.ilw.uni-stuttgart.de/en/departments/english-literatures/teaching/), which are all taught in English, and be integrated in events organised by the Born Digital research group, which will be jointly established by Bergen and Stuttgart.Advanced MA/MEd students working on their research theses will have access to research colloquia, be able to present their projects in joint (online) colloquia and workshops, and be co-supervised by colleagues from Stuttgart.
- Letter of motivation (maximum 2 pages), which should state your interest for electronic literatures.
- CV
- Recent transcript of records
All applications should be in English. Please send your application documents to sibylle.baumbach@ilw.uni-stuttgart.de in one .pdf file.
As the funding programme will expire in September 2026, applications are no longer possible.
Further information about the project and the application for a stipend can be found here:
| For Stuttgart University Students | For Bergen University Students |
If you have further questions please contact Prof. Sibylle Baumbach
(sibylle.baumbach@ilw.uni-stuttgart.de).
The Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM supports the international exchange of students and vocationally qualified people. Since 2001, it has enabled more than 28,000 young people from Baden-Württemberg to gain experience abroad and allowed scholarship holders from other countries to visit Baden-Württemberg. Approximately 1,500 young people receive a Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM each year.
Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for University Cooperations – BWS plus
With the Baden-Württemberg-STIPENDIUM for University Cooperations – BWS plus, the Baden-Württemberg Stiftung supports joint projects between universities from Baden-Württemberg and their international partners.The programme is endowed with approximately 1 million Euros annually. Since 2011, more than 130 BWS plus projects have been supported at universities in Baden-Württemberg.
2024
| Duration of stay in Bergen | |
| Christin Walter | October – December 2024 |
| Polina Barmina | August – December 2024 |
2025
| Duration of stay in Bergen | |
| Charlotte Ammer | January – May 2025 |
| Nadja Hieber | August – December 2025 |
| Tim Schumacher | August – December 2025 |
2026
| Duration of stay in Bergen | |
| Syeda Memoona Bukhari | January – June 2026 |
| Laiba Iftikhar | January – June 2026 |
| Duration of stay in Stuttgart | |
| Odin Berle Arntzen | March – June 2026 |
The Baden-Württemberg Stiftung advocates a vital Baden-Württemberg with a high quality of life for all its residents. It helps pave the way for advanced technological progress, high quality education, and a responsible relationship with fellow human beings. The Baden-Württemberg Stiftung is one of the major foundations in Germany. It is the only foundation which exclusively and above party lines invests in the future of the state of Baden-Württemberg – and thus in the future of its citizens.