TomesFortsätze

TomesFortsätze is a conceptual framework that emerged in late 20th‑century German academic discourse. The term is a portmanteau of “Tome,” referring to long, scholarly works, and “Fortsetzungen,” the German word for continuations or sequels. It is used to describe the process by which scholarly monographs are expanded into series of interconnected publications that build upon a central theme over several volumes.

The origin of the concept can be traced back to the work of literary theorist Hans Gruber in the early 1980s, who argued that the traditional single‑volume monograph was inadequate for documenting complex, evolving fields. Gruber proposed a model in which each new volume adds previously uninvestigated subtopics while revisiting and refining earlier conclusions. This model was formally introduced in his 1983 essay “Fortsetzungen in der Wissensproduktion” and gained traction among disciplines that produce extensive bibliographic corpora, such as history, anthropology, and literary studies.

TomesFortsätze has influenced publication strategies in the European Union, where funding bodies increasingly promote serial research outputs. The framework encourages longitudinal scholarship and fosters interdisciplinary dialogue, as each new volume often invites contributions from scholars in related fields. Critics contend that the model can lead to fragmentation if over‑emphasized, recommending a balanced approach that integrates sequential volumes with comprehensive syntheses.

Today, TomesFortsätze remains a reference point in discussions about scholarly communication, particularly within the Context of open‑access repositories and institutional research assessment frameworks. It exemplifies a shift from static to dynamic knowledge production, emphasizing continuity and cumulative development over isolated findings.