Resilience and diversity – Concepts for the crises of our time?
Covid-19, climate crisis, loss of biodiversity, natural disasters, demographic change, crisis of democracy, and the war in Ukraine - our present is characterized by a multitude of intertwined challenges that require whole-of-society perspectives and interdisciplinary approaches. Against this background, the Project Group „Resilience and Diversity in Complex Systems“ examines the concepts of resilience and diversity and their interplay as well as findings of complexity research in an interdisciplinary manner, from microbiology to jurisprudence. The extent to which these findings are applicable in the dialogue between science and society is at the core of the discussion. Moreover, the Project Group is also investigating the influence of knowledge transfer with regard to non-scientific and, in particular, societal actors on the group's original conceptual understandings.
Goals of the Project Group „Resilience and Diversity in Complex Systems“
• Develop an interdisciplinary research perspective on resilience and diversity.
• Examine the benefits and challenges of this perspective, particularly for theoretical consideration of global problems and for practical approaches to solving them.
• Promote exchange between science, politics and society for relevant and impactful research on these topics.
Project Description
Crises and disturbances are treated as phenomena in a variety of scientific disciplines. Numerous concepts and approaches exist to understand their influence on processes in complex physical, biological and societal systems. The Project Group will examine two of these concepts in light of their interdisciplinary applicability: resilience and diversity. Both concepts have a variety of different definitions in individual scientific disciplines. On the one hand, they appear to be closely linked conceptually, but on the other hand, theoretical conflicts and contradictions emerge.
Variety of different definitions of resilience and diversity in individual scientific disciplines
The Project Group's work will analyze the various resilience and diversity concepts in their respective disciplinary contexts and then consider them transdisciplinarily, potentially leading to a better understanding of our overall societal resources for dealing with the challenges of our time.
Perspectives and Reviews
• October 27 and 28, 2023, Hamburg: Workshop „Disasters“
• October 13, 2023, Hamburg: Roundtable „Resilient Cities - Healthy People?“
• December 9 and 10, 2022, Hamburg: Symposium „Resilience and Diversity in Complex Systems".
