Transformative science

Our societies are facing grand and ever more pressing challenges with respect to both ecological and social aspects. Without drastic changes, our way of organizing our societies and the economy will lead to severe problems in the medium to long term. We thus need a Great Transformation, meaning a fundamental transformation of our societal and economic system towards a state that respects the natural limits of the planet while guaranteeing a good life for all. How such a society could look like is still completely unclear. There are many places around the world where people experiment with alternative concepts of society or single components thereof. Examples are the concept of circular economy, regional currencies, community gardens, swap- or for-free-shops, and cooperatives, to name just a few.

Understanding the potential of these elements, shaping their interactions and ultimately designing a functional society and economy usually goes beyond the capacities of individual actors. At this point, scientific support turns out to be not only helpful, but maybe even indispensable. These observations have led to the concept of a transformative science, which does not only describe the socio-economic transformations of our societies, but takes an active stance in igniting and catalyzing them. Furthermore, a transformative science also questions whether our current scientific system is ready to take on such an active role, or whether it requires a transformation in itself.

I started reflecting on these questions in 2016 when I was appointed the youth representative in the scientific advisory board of Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND). Since then, I co-organized several seminars on the topic of transformative science. Most importantly, I published the book »Draußen ist es anders. Auf neuen Wegen zu einer Wissenschaft für den Wandel« in March 2021, introducing students and early-career scientists into the topic.

Since there is a separate website for our work on transformative science, I will only occasionally publish posts here, mostly about more general reflections on academia. Here is the link to our website where you can also sign up for our newsletter: Wissenschaf(f)t Zukünfte e.V.. It is in German, but you can find an English summary here.