How to Recognize a Model When You See One. Or: Claudia Schiffer and the Climate Change

Abstract

“Model”, at first sight, is a non-academic word with a wide circulation in a variety of conversational and non-technical written discourses. In, but also beyond that it is used in different situations, in different fields, by different disciplines. It changes its meaning in these respective contexts. But how far? If there remains a common conceptual core, we would learn a lot about the essence of the notion of model as a widely shared concept. If it turns out that the usage of the word makes model a homonym with completely distinct meanings, we have to sharply distinguish who is using it in which context. To further research these questions, we need to observe where and how we encounter models in our daily and scholarly life.