Becker,
Egon/Thomas Jahn (Hg.) (2006): Social Ecology. Grundzüge einer
Wissenschaft von den gesellschaftlichen Naturverhältnissen. Frankfurt.
Hummel,
Diana (Hrsg.) (2008): Population Dynamics and Supply Systems. A
Transdisciplinary Approach. Frankfurt am Main
Bergmann, Matthias et al., 2005:
Quality Criteria of Transdisciplinary Research: A Guide for the Formative Evaluation of Research Projects.
ISOE-Studientexte, No 13, Frankfurt am Main
Keil,
Florian (2008): Pharmaceuticals for Human Use: Options
of Action for Reducing the Contamination of Water Bodies - A Practical
Guide
(download)
Report 2008: Preface and Focus of Research:
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Research Profile
Crisis-laden dynamical processes are increasing around the world. These processes contain a complex and interactive mix of societal patterns of action and ecological effects, which together lead to current and future societal problem of a synergistic and hybrid nature.
The public is becoming increasingly aware that the usual political and economic mechanisms are hardly in a position to provide solutions to such synergistic, hybrid problems. Developing a readiness to deal constructively with uncertainty and a necessary openness to new approaches are two of the leading challenges facing society today. A demand for deep and fundamental change, however, stands in conflict with the continued practice of the industrial development model. Faced with this situation what is needed is the creation of transitional paths and the development of an ability to deal with transformations.
At the Institute for Social-Ecological Research (ISOE) the goal of research is to take up these challenges. Thus at ISOE, social ecology, as the science of societal relations to nature, takes a pragmatic, policy-oriented perspective with respect to research projects and situates all of its projects within a long-term research program, one that guides the conceptual work of the institute. The central goal of this long-term research program is to develop options for a sustainable structuring and regulation of societal relations to nature. The bulk of research at ISOE, then, at any given momentdeals with current concrete social-ecological problems and issues.
This kind of research requires an analysis of basic interactions between society and nature, with the goal of providing systemic knowledge of their complex, hybrid nature. Equally important, it is necessary to map the societal processes of negotiating desired and unwanted development paths and policy goals, and to understand this as a form of ‘orientation knowledge,’ which must then be converted into ‘transformation knowledge,’ knowledge capable of providing options for reaching desired goals. The challenge presented by such research goals is met by employing a transdisciplinary form of research, one which integrates within it from the very beginning the policy-oriented knowledge possessed by societal actors.