Lecture & Science
From the Tamed Gesture to the Thinking Hand: A Look at the Body from the Perspective of Modern Gesture Research
Saturday, 21/11/2026 / 05:00 PM - 06:00 PM / Ernst Barlach Museums Güstrow
What Hands Say: Learning to Read Gestures in Everyday Life and on the World Stage
When people come together, they communicate with one another, even when they aren’t speaking. Hands trace shapes in the air, shoulders take on certain postures, and glances mark pauses. Since ancient times, they have been told how to move—from the rhetorical teachings of Cicero and Quintilian, through Baroque etiquette manuals, to today’s guides on body language. Those who speak this way are considered confident. Those who speak differently are not.
Where This Focus on the Body Comes From
In her lecture,PD Dr. Silva Ladewig first explores the history of these rules: Why did gestures become the subject of rules in the first place? Whose body served as the standard in each era? A historical review shows that our notions of appropriate movement are far less natural than they seem.
What Hands Actually Do
The linguist contrasts this with findings from gesture research. After all, gestures are not mere accessories to language; they are part of it. They structure thoughts before words even exist; they indicate, shape, organize, and evaluate. Ladewig demonstrates how this can be analyzed: through everyday, unconscious hand movements as well as through carefully staged appearances from the world of politics.
Research That Takes Place in the Public Sphere
Silva Ladewig makes her analyses accessible not only in academic circles but also on her social media channel @gestikinsights, where she dissects gestures from current news stories and debates. The lecture combines both: scholarly depth and a keen eye for what we encounter daily on our screens.
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