This new research group came together in 2019 to investigate the paper tools and technological infrastructures of modern forms of governance. Many of these seem to be related to early types of data collection, statistics and numerical systems of addressability. Focusing mainly on the Austrian state and its manifold transformations between the 18th and the 21st century, we are dealing with constellations that allow significant contributions to theoretical as well as methodological debates on modern multinational regimes. The rapidly increasing scholarship on state formation, diasporas and administrative practices - on the level of modern states, empires or international organizations - is characterized by specialist discussions in various disciplines.

We will identify the most promising overlaps of these burgeoning research fields for subsequent research proposals, and make contacts with prospective international partners in research fields such as the history and anthropology of administration, history of statistics, history of big data, legal pluralism, standardization, new intellectual history, accounting/valuation studies and the sociology of calculative practices.

For more information including the second season: The State Multiple II: Practices, Resources and Sites of Planning (2020)