Cultures of science and research

Technology and science are drivers of progress, but can also cause unintended harm in society. Progress and related issues, e.g. economic growth, have long since ceased to be a self-evident background consensus, and there are more and more efforts to think about social change (transformation) in a more holistic and long-term way, for example under the concepts of sustainability and social responsibility.

We approach this topic area from a cultural perspective. Every scientific discipline, every practical profession is characterized by cultural peculiarities that, seen from another discipline, another profession, are not self-evident, indeed are often alienating and questionable. By “culture” we mean here a diversity of often unquestioned perspectives, basic assumptions, methodological beliefs, ways of writing and other ways of working, which we will elaborate and compare using different examples and disciplines (e.g. computer science, chemistry, economics, social sciences). On this basis, we will develop a better understanding of the opportunities and limitations of interdisciplinary collaboration. In the next step, we will ‚open up‘ this field further by also addressing opportunities and limits of transdisciplinary collaboration based on concrete cases (e.g., citizen participation in so-called living labs). Finally, we highlight what can be learned from all this about the possibilities and obstacles of societal transformation.