Transformation of Contemporary Societies
Outlook
In 2012 and 2013, the academics in the main research area “Transformation of Contemporary Societies” extended existing research links and opened up new research topics with their many new research projects. The launch of the IN-EAST School of Advanced Studies, but also the formation of the joint research project “Cross-Border Labor Markets”, represent interesting and promising points of references for coming years. Many further research projects on topics relating to the Transformation of Contemporary Societies are either in preparation or in evaluation. These include not least projects which are developed and driven forwards by junior academics.
In January 2014, the main research area has also begun to advance in new directions with respect to its organisation. With the introduction of individual memberships, it is to be ensured that the main research area has an even greater effect on the university, involving the academics of the UDE in an even more interdisciplinary manner. Until then institutes had sent representatives to its coordinating committee, the research council. Now researchers themselves can become members. More than 50 colleagues have yet become part of the area by membership.
During its first general meeting the long standing members of the research council Prof. Petra Stein, Prof. Renate Martinsen, Dr. Andreas Jansen, Dr. Ray Hebestreit, Prof. Dieter Grunow, Prof. Markus Taube, Prof. Tobias Debiel and its speaker Prof. Ingo Schulz-Schaeffer withdrew from the committee. The assembled members acknowledged their efforts and merits on behalf of the development of the main research area and elected Prof. Ansgar Belke, Prof. Achim Goerres, Dr. des. Kristina Weissenbach, Prof. Sigrid Quack, Prof. Benjamin Scheller to the research council. Ms. Quack was appointed its speaker, Mr. Scheller deputy speaker. The council mirrors the disciplinary diversity of the main research area. Their aim is to increase the integration of its members and research projects, building on the accomplishments of their predecessors, and to initiate larger and interdisciplinary research collaboration to make research addressing urgent questions of transformation in a borderless world at the UDE more visible on a national and international level.