Markus Sieber, M.A. was born in Bern (Switzerland) in 1983. After secondary education he did a three-year apprenticeship as a management assistant and worked in this position for several years before finding his way to university. Between 2007 and 2014 Markus studied Modern History, Geography and General Ecology at the University of Bern. Since January 2015 he is a doctoral student and scientific assistant at the Department for Economic, Social and Environmental History at the University of Bern. His research interests include global history of the 20th century, migration and mobility studies, environmental history and the evolution of the non-profit sector in Switzerland. When not working on his PhD Thesis, Markus likes hiking, biking or skiing in the Swiss mountains. Furthermore, he’s a movie and TV show enthusiast and enjoys listening to music.
Introduction to PhD topic “Mobile Lives in Switzerland since 1930” (working title)
Questions about transport and its various economic, political, social and cultural influences on modern societies have always aroused interest among historians. The main focus of these studies was laid on transport infrastructure, single means of transport or the history of transport planning and policy. However, thus far, people and their different mobilities were almost completely left out of the picture. Our recently started research project “Mobility in the Swiss Federal State (1848-present): a new perspective on transport history”, aims to shed light on some of these neglected research topics. The project, which contains three senior researchers and two doctoral students, focuses on the mobility of individuals and different societal groups: their mobility needs, their attitudes and aspirations towards mobility as well as their access to the mobility system. In summary, the project follows three leading questions: How did the understanding of mobility change since 1848 (founding of the Swiss Federal State) and how was it discursively implemented? How can the mobilities of people be described in this period of time and in what relation do mobility discourses and actually realized mobility stand? To what extent can we compare developments in Switzerland with the international context? In my dissertation, which covers the period since the 1930s and centers on everyday mobility of people (especially on work related mobility and leisure travel), I’m trying to answer this questions by using a threefold approach: Firstly, a discourse analysis investigating the production of different mobilities in contemporary media (primarily in widespread magazines). Secondly, by evaluating (historical) quantitative data about the mobility of Swiss people. Thirdly, by interviewing family members (grandparents, parents and children) of different families about their individual mobility biographies.
Songs for the road
“On the Road Again” – Willie Nelson
Songs for coming home
Exploring Conceptual and Methodological Challenges 