Cross-Cutting Research

Complementing the issues addressed by its four programmes, the Institute focuses on three topics that sit at the interface between these issues, topics that are particularly important for successful transformation processes and that must be addressed using technical and methodical innovations. The project “Transformation to sustainability” will see IDOS combine its knowledge of structural economic change in developing countries and emerging economies more effectively with theories of socio-ecological transformation towards sustainability and concepts of social change. In the project “Centrifugal forces and cohesion in a social context – is there a safe space for societies?”, we will initiate an international search and learning process in order to bring together existing but not connected knowledge on key dimensions of social cohesion and opposing factors. This search process will be linked up with the research programme “The World in 2050”.