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Department of Socioeconomics
Departmentof Socioeconomics

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Studies

Thematic semester 19/20: Socioeconomic perspectives on social polarisation

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Socioeconomic perspectives on social polarisation

In view of the increasing polarisation and problem situations, we as society and science are at a crossroads: are we making a contribution "to the development of a humane, democratic and just society" (UHH's mission statement) or are we content with the status quo and thus contributing to a progressive polarisation? During the thematic semester we will therefore ask ourselves how exactly the global polarization processes are interrelated at the socio-economic, political and cultural levels and how we as the Faculty of Social Economics can contribute to solving these questions. All students and teachers are invited to participate in the thematic semester and to make the controversies a topic of discussion in the courses and seminars. The panel discussions are intended to provide an initial impetus for this. The events are open to the public.

You can contact the steering committee of the thematic semester (including Ida Rockenbach, Ulrich Fritsche and Stefan Aykut) if you are interested and have questions via Themensemester.sozoek"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

Note: Due to the current corona pandemic, the current subject semester has been supplemented by a digital event series.

Current! Social polarization in times of the Corona crisis

The current CoVid 19 pandemic and the measures to contain it reveal existing social imbalances. Numerous economists are expecting a dramatic collapse in global economic growth, the unemployment rate in the USA has recently risen more sharply than at any time since the Great Depression, and in many countries the health care systems are threatening to collapse. Social inequality continues to increase in the wake of this, which right-wing forces are responding to by intensifying exclusion. But the crisis also opens a new window of opportunity for sustainable development: production is being transformed at breakneck speed, large financial resources beyond the black zero are being mobilised, international cooperation is being stepped up and the relationship between the welfare state and the market is being rebalanced. The ancient Greek meaning of "krísis = decision" can thus be taken quite literally. These are all questions and problems that we have always been dealing with in social economics from an interdisciplinary perspective. They become all the more urgent in times of crisis. In the context of the thematic semester we therefore want to deal with the causes of the current crisis and the possibilities for social action. We want to discuss what the current crisis means for the socio-economic, political, cultural and ecological polarization of society and what conclusions can be drawn from it.

In this sense, we invite everyone to take part in the discussion in the lecture series and to carry the discussions into the lectures.

Digital lecture series: Social polarization in times of the corona crisis

Topic Semester Lecture Series "Social Polarization in Times of the Corona Crisis"

  • Tuesday, May 12, 2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "Socioeconomic impact of the crisis and measures"
    with an input from Sebastian Dullien, Professor of Economics at the HTW Berlin, Scientific Director of the IMK; video recording here: https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/l2go/-/get/v/30509 (in German)
  • Tuesday, May 19, 2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "Social State Challenges in the Corona Crisis"
    with an input from Katharina Zimmermann, Assistant Professor of Sociology of Economic Action, University of Hamburg; video recording here: https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/l2go/-/get/v/31452 (in German)
  • Tuesday, 02.06.2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "After Corona: The Green New Deal between Modernisation and Transformation of the Economy"
    with an input from Dirk Ehnts (WEED e.V.), Sören Altstaedt and Philipp Degens (both KFG Zukünfte der Nachhaltigkeit, University of Hamburg)
  • Tuesday, 09.06.2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "Crisis management and resilient production in times of Corona"
    with an input from Daniel Geiger, Professor for Organization Studies at the University of Hamburg
  • Tuesday, 16.06.2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "Luxury item or way out? Democratic and Social Basic Rights in the Corona Crisis"
    with an input from Thomas Gebauer, spokesperson of medico international and Andreas Fisahn, Professor of Public Law at Bielefeld University
  • Tuesday, 23.06.2020, 6:00 - 7:00 p.m:
    "CoVid-19 and International Cooperation: a new world order in Global Health?"
    with an input from Jean-Paul Gaudillière (CERMES 3, Villejuif) and Susan Bergner (SWP Berlin, inquired). The event will be held in English.
The lecture series will be held via Zoom until further notice. Dial-in link: https://uni-hamburg.zoom.us/j/96859325399?pwd=UEVXSW13elVMblBMaU9CbW81dkNVQT09.
Meeting-ID: 968 5932 5399         Password: 093003

The lectures will be held in German. Further dates of the lecture series will be announced in time.

If you would like to participate in the lecture series with your own contribution, please contact us! If you are interested and have any questions, please write to us: Themensemester.sozoek"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

Thematic semester action week from 29.06. - 03.07.2020

In the week from 29.06. - 03.07.2020 the action week of the thematic semester "Socioeconomic perspectives in times of social polarization" takes place.

During the week of action we want to bring together and further discuss the results and discussions from the lecture series "Social Polarization in Times of Corona Crisis", the previous events and the lectures. To this end, various courses during this week outside the curriculum will be devoted to a specific aspect of social polarization and open to the public for the benefit of an interdisciplinary discussion. There will also be other events, such as a panel discussion on the decommodification and democratization of work, and a discussion on the educational situation under the right-wing government of Bolsonaro in Brazil.

The week of action will take place primarily on campus, on the meadow next to Café Knallhart. Thus, the action week offers a good opportunity to come together again in presence during the current "online semester", while observing hygiene measures (1.5 m distance, sufficient disinfectant, etc.), and to discuss the causes and effects of the current crisis, as well as the positive possibilities for action together.

Alternatively, participation is also possible digitally, so both the lecturers and fellow students as well as the participants can either attend in person or join in online. The digital connection is possible via ZOOM using the following link:

You can find the event plan of the action week on the website of the Student Council of Social Economics (in German, external link). We also expressly ask you to observe the hygiene and protection concept (in German).

If you have any questions or comments, please contact/ contact the preparation group for the theme semester at Themensemester.sozoek"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

Previous events

Previous courses of the thematic semester "Socioeconomic Perspectives on Social Polarization":

  • "The Treuhand, social polarization in East Germany and the rise of the AFD" (10.01.2020)
    Marcus Böick is a historian at the Ruhr University Bochum. He is doing his doctorate and research on the subject of the Treuhandanstalt
    Daniela Dahn is a journalist and author. As a civil rights activist in the GDR, she was a founding member of the organization "Democratic Awakening".
    Wolfgang Menz is Professor of Sociology of Work in the Department of Social Economics at the University of Hamburg

    The event was recorded and can be viewed at https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/l2go/-/get/v/25735 (in German).

  • "Who will solve the climate crisis? Climate policy in the field of tension between global negotiations, climate movement and trade unions" (30.01.2020)
    Katja Karger (Chairperson of the DGB HH)
    Stefan Aykut, Émilie d'Amico and Felix Schenuit (Department of Social Economics, University of Hamburg)
    Armin Günther (climate activist)

    The event was recorded and can be viewed at https://lecture2go.uni-hamburg.de/l2go/-/get/l/5200 (in German).

Following event (in cooperation with the ZBW) was postponed due to Corona. It will take place at a later date: