BYRD Network "Learning (from) Transformation

Concept

We live in times of global challenges. These challenges such as climate change, resource scarcity and pandemic threat have become too ubiquitous to be solved through minor innovation processes. It rather seems that existing practices of problem-solving have been exhausted. Therefore, the call for transformation in the sense of disruptive, pathbreaking changes has become vital. At the end of the 20th century, post-socialist countries have experienced a radical transformation: The centrally planned economies transformed into a market system, and the one-party rule into democracy, and the consequences of these changes are still effective today. The radical system change was conducted by shock therapy in many countries, such as the GDR, the Czech Republic, and the Baltic countries. Everyday life, social networks and all areas of society were changed disruptively. We are only beginning to understand the long-term consequences of this historically unique event, not to mention the lessons learned for today.

This is where the Postdoc-Network "Learning (from) Transformation" comes in. We ask the following questions: Given today's pressure to transform, what can modern politics, economy, and society learn from past transformation processes? How can transformation succeed, given the various uncertainties and socio-economic obstacles? Finally, which lessons can be learned from the cases of post-socialist transformation for the challenges ahead?

We aim to bring together economists, historians, political scientists, sociologists, and colleagues from any further discipline from the University of Bremen and its affiliated institutions to discuss the above (and related) questions. We seek to share and extend our knowledge within regular meetings, the so-called "coffee breaks", provide information about internal colloquia, international conferences or teaching classes, organize events or excursions and collect calls for research funds on the topic “Radical transformation”. The long-term goal is to exchange research, get impulses for future studies, extend prevailing theories and methods, and publish joint work in the realm of our scientific qualifications.

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