Transdisciplinary Concepts and Methods
Becker, Egon/Thomas Jahn (ed.) (1999): Sustainability and the Social
Sciences. London/New York: Zed Books
Declaration "Enhancing Social Scientific Understanding of Sustainability" anlässlich der internationalen Konferenz "Sustainability as a Concept of Social Sciences" im Rahmen des UNESCO-MOST-Programmes im November 1996 in Frankfurt am Main
Deklaration "Für ein verbessertes (sozial-)wissenschaftliches Verständnis von Nachhaltigkeit"
Declaração "Pelo Desenvolvimento da Compreensão CientÌfica e Social da Sustentabilidade"
Policy Paper Sustainability: A Cross-disciplinary Concept for Social Transformation
Report on the preliminary results of the MOST-project "Sustainability as a Concept of the Social Sciences"
Project:
Sustainability as a Concept of the Social Sciences
Coordination:
Project team:
Prof. Dr. Egon Becker,
Dr. Thomas Jahn,
Dr. Immanuel Stieß,
Dr. Peter Wehling
Dr. Diana Hummel
Financing:
Duration :
1995-1997
Sustainability as a Concept of the Social Sciences
The main concern of this project is to initiate and then intensify, on an international scale, a problem-oriented debate on the concept of sustainable development within the various social sciences.
Statement of the Problem
At present, the social sciences are confronted with a wide range of novel and partly interdependent transformation processes.The contributions and proposals of the social sciences for the political, social and economic management of these transformation processes fall a long way short of the demands and expectations placed in them. In this situation, the aim of the project is to elaborate whether and how sustainable development which has become an internationally accepted model of environmental and development policy can be formulated as a feasible scientific concept for the social sciences as well as a basis of empirical research.
Project Objectives
By initiating and then intensifying a problem-oriented debate on the concept of sustainable development within the various social sciences, it is intended:
- to improve the ability of the social sciences to tune in to current developmental, environmental and economic problem areas,
- to step up and expand the exchange of views and inter-disciplinary co-operation, both within the social sciences and between the social and natural sciences.
- to prepare a conceptual framework for new international research programmes.
Project's Procedure
As a science organising process, the project entails the identification of experts, the preparation of reports on state and perspectives of the discussion on sustainable development in the various social science disciplines and the organisation of a workshop on "Sustainability as Social Science Concept".
Target Groups:
The project aims at the improvement of social scientific contributions to sustainability-related research topics as proposed in the AGENDA 21. It addresses scientists, science and research policy authorities and decision-makers engaged in this field.
General Co-ordinator of the Project:
Thomas Jahn, Institute for social-ecological research, Germany
Project Co-ordinator MOST:
Ali Kazancigil
Aufruf anläßlich der internationalen Konferenz "Sustainability as a Concept of Social Sciences" im Rahmen des UNESCO-MOST-Programmes im November 1996 in Frankfurt am Main
Declaration "Enhancing Social Scientific Understanding of Sustainability"
Deklaration "Für ein verbessertes (sozial-)wissenschaftliches Verständnis von Nachhaltigkeit"
Declaração "Pelo Desenvolvimento da Compreensão CientÌfica e Social da Sustentabilidade"
Policy Paper Sustainability: A Cross-disciplinary Concept for Social Transformation
Report on the preliminary results of the MOST-project "Sustainability as a Concept of the Social Sciences"
Link to MOST