Organisation profile

Sustainability has many facets. Inter- and transdisciplinary research and teaching characterize the School of Sustainability. Scientists in our research projects work together in the laboratory, on the heath, in the grassland, in the classroom, with the city administration, with farmers, with non-governmental organizations, with companies, with students in the lecture hall and of course at their desks.

Furthermore, we work with regional and national political actors, e.g. ministries, as well as international organizations, e.g. UNEP, UNESCO, EU. We are part of national and international bodies, e.g. sustainability advisory boards of companies, member of the German Sustainability Award, World Biodiversity Council (IPBES), in order to contribute to social change with scientific findings.

Main research areas

Vision
Sustainability science investigates on a theoretical, conceptual and empirical level how to promote sustainable development and how to find and implement effective solutions for current social and ecological challenges. The aim is to create a more sustainable future.

Sustainability researchers are called upon to take responsibility for their research, which is anchored in existing scientific knowledge and methods and serves to make the world a better place for everyone.

Mission
We promote change towards a sustainable future by developing theories, concepts and practices of inclusive education for sustainability, research, governance and management.

We acknowledge the diversity and dynamics of values, norms and behaviour and contribute with transdisciplinary methods to ensuring that tensions and differences between different disciplines, methods, topics and standards are fruitfully taken up and used with productive compromises and further developments towards sustainable development.

Principles
The School of Sustainability is guided by the normative concepts of ecological system integrity and social and economic justice.

Ecological system integrity refers to the safeguarding of life-support systems, as well as the maintenance of the well-being of life on Earth.

With social and economic justice we strive for a world in which all people can fulfil their potential without endangering system integrity and the well-being of others.

Information about the School
The School of Sustainability includes...
... ca. 25 professors
... ca. 100 research assistants
... ca. 1000 students in Bachelor and Master courses

In various inter- and transdisciplinary projects we are constantly researching and working together on changes and solutions for current challenges.

  1. Published

    Die Neuerfindung des Ökonomischen: ein (re)produktionstheoretischer Beitrag zur sozial-ökologischen Forschung

    Biesecker, A. & Hofmeister, S., 2006, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 199 p.

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  2. Published

    Die Neuerfindung des Ökonomischen: ein (re)produktionstheoretischer Beitrag

    Biesecker, A. & Hofmeister, S., 2008, Fruchtbarkeit unter Kontrolle?. Herzog-Schröder, G., Gottwald, F.-T. & Walterspiel, V. (eds.). Frankfurt am Main [u.a.]: Campus Verlag, p. 432-454 23 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearchpeer-review

  3. Published

    Die Natur des Naturschutzes: wie Naturkonzepte und Geschlechtskodierungen das Schützenswerte bestimmen

    Weber, I., 2007, München: oekom verlag GmbH. 243 p. (Hochschulschriften zur Nachhaltigkeit; vol. 37)

    Research output: Books and anthologiesMonographsResearch

  4. Published

    Die Natur des Ländlichen: zur Konzeption gesellschaftlicher Natur- und Geschlechterverhältnisse in ländlichen Räumen

    Mölders, T., 02.2017, Politiken der Naturgestaltung : Ländliche Entwicklung und Agro-Gentechnik zwischen Kritik und Vision. Gottschlich, D. & Mölders, T. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer VS, p. 119-138 20 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksContributions to collected editions/anthologiesResearch

  5. Published

    Die "Natur" der Wildnis: Annäherung an ein aktuelles Phänomen sozialer Ökologie

    Hofmeister, S., 2009, In: Zeitschrift für angewandte Umweltforschung. 19, 1/2, p. 104-116 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Die nächste industrielle Revolution: Die Cradle to Cradle Community

    Braungart, M. & McDonough, W., 01.10.1999, In: Politische Ökologie. 62, 5, p. 18-22 6 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  7. Published

    Die nachhaltigen Zwillinge: Keine soziale Gerechtigkeit ohne ökologische Gerechtigkeit

    Niebert, K., 01.04.2014, In: Theorie und Praxis der sozialen Arbeit. 65, 2, p. 102-113 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesTransferpeer-review

  8. Published

    Die mittelpleistozäne Leck-Formation und ihre Bedeutung für die Klimastratigraphie Mitteleuropas, Teil 2: Palynologie

    Urban, B., 2008, Tagungsband und Exkursionsführer: 75. Tagung der Arbeitsgemeinschaft Norddeutscher Geologen. Arbeitsgemeinschaft Norddeutscher Geologen, p. 35 1 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksPublished abstract in conference proceedingsResearchpeer-review

  9. Published
  10. Published

    Die Marktprämie im EEG 2012 - eine erste Zwischenbilanz

    Schomerus, T. & Henkel, A., 2012, In: Energierecht : ER Zeitschrift für die gesamte Energierechtspraxis. 1, 1, p. 13-21 9 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review