Structure and core research areas
Structure
The Emerging Field Societal Change is part of the Research Priority Area Culture and Societal Change at TU Dresden. It brings together expertise from the humanities and social sciences on the cultural forms of expression, dynamics and consequences of social transformation processes. The focus is on researching the interactions between cultural practices, social dynamics, emotions and technological developments. The thematic focus is on social and cultural conflict research, the analysis of emotional orders and the investigation of interferences between culture and disruptive technologies.
A central impetus came from the EXU measure TUDiSC - Disruption and Societal Change . In this inter- and transdisciplinary joint project, "disruption" was profiled as a basic category of research into societal change. TUDiSC investigated the prerequisites, logics and effects of disruptive processes from both a fundamental and an applied perspective. The research network comprised seven projects, produced over 150 publications and promoted close networking within TU Dresden and the DRESDEN-concept network.
The strategic development of the Emerging Field is also reflected in successful appointments. Prof. Orit Halpern (Digital Cultures), an internationally renowned scientist who researches the history of science with a focus on computer science, design and cybernetics, was appointed in 2022. She is a co-spokesperson for TUDiSC and a board member of the Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS). Together with the Institute of Philosophy, the Junior Professorship for Philosophy of Science (JProf. Dr. Enno Fischer) was also established, which strengthens the profile in the areas of philosophy of science, science communication and science transfer.
In addition, the Emerging Field is involved in numerous interdisciplinary initiatives, such as the SchauflerLab@TU Dresden, the Office for Academic Heritage, Scientific and Art Collections and the joint project German Center for Astrophysics (DZA) in Lusatia. Here, together with partners such as the Zittau/Görlitz University of Applied Sciences, the IÖR and the Sorbian Institute, it contributes to accompanying social, cultural and scientific transformation processes in the region. This also included the establishment of a network for post-socialist transformation research.
Through these diverse activities, the Emerging Field Societal Change has positioned itself as a central platform for interdisciplinary research into the cultural and social dynamics of the present. It sees itself as a laboratory for new forms of cooperation between the humanities, social sciences and technical sciences - and as a place where the social relevance of research is considered in practical and conceptual terms.
Core research areas
Transformation: Development of core research areas on the transformation of knowledge systems: Cooperation with the Department for Transformation Research at the German Center for Astrophysics (DZA). Participation in the development of a network for transformation research in the social sciences and humanities in Lusatia, organization of the event series "Transformation Ost" and numerous collaborations within the framework of DDc SAC IV.
Disruption: Introduction of the category "disruption" as a basis for interdisciplinary research on societal change, with a particular focus on the consequences of technological developments and the dangers for democratic orders.
Science and Technology Studies (STS): with a focus on digital transformation and its social impact - in collaboration with the Center for Interdisciplinary Digital Sciences (CIDS), in particular the Department for Speculative Transformation (DST) and the SchauflerLab@TU Dresden.
Innovative projects in political and school education: awarded the Innovation Prize for Continuing Education for the "QuaBIS" project, the joint project "Success Factors for Local E-Participation" and the Dresden University School project, among others. The John Dewey Research Center for the Didactics of Democracy (JoDDiD) combines didactic research, consulting, training and further education as well as activities in art, museum and theater education - with a special focus on political and democratic education.
Democracy, right-wing populism and authoritarianism: numerous research activities, including as part of the BMBF-funded junior research group "Right-wing extremism versus climate protection? (REXKLIMA)", other projects at the Institute of Political Science and in cooperation with the Hannah Arendt Institute for Totalitarianism Studies (HAIT) and the Mercator Forum Migration and Democracy (MIDEM).