Institute of Ethics and Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research

Organisational unit: Institute

Organisation profile

The aim of research and teaching at our institute is to make an active contribution to shaping societal transformation towards sustainability. We work on appropriate scientific and philosophical foundations as well as on ways to include different (civil) societal actors in research processes.

The institute is subdivided into the following four core areas: (i) Sustainability Ethics (ii) Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research, (iii) Sustainability Science and (iv) Social Sustainability.

Main research areas

Unsere Forschung deckt ein breites Spektrum an thematischen und methodischen Zugängen ab. Innerhalb der Fakultät Nachhaltigkeit am Schnittpunkt von natur- und sozialwissenschaftlich fokussierter Forschung angesiedelt, ist unsere Arbeit geprägt durch inter- und transdisziplinäre Zusammenarbeit - innerhalb der Universität und über ihre Grenzen hinaus.
Im Rahmen dieser Kooperationen arbeiten wir lösungsorientiert und zielen darauf ab, im wechselseitigen Austausch zwischen Wissenschaftlern/-innen unterschiedlicher Disziplinen sowie relevanten gesellschaftlichen Akteuren sozial robustes Wissen zu erzeugen.

Forschungsschwerpunkte und Kernkonzepte

Sustainability Science
Transdisziplinäre Nachhaltigkeitsforschung
Nachhaltigkeitsethik

  1. Published

    Sustainability assessments designed for multiple functions: five cases about water resources, nanotechnologies and communities

    Wiek, A., Kuzdas, C., Foley, R., Withycombe Keeler, L., Forrest, N. & Kay, B., 12.08.2016, Sustainability Assessment: Applications and Opportunities. Gibson, R. B. (ed.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 127-145 19 p.

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  2. Published

    Operationalising Competencies in Higher Education for Sustainable Development

    Wiek, A., Bernstein, M. J., Foley, R. W., Cohen, M., Forrest, N., Kuzdas, C., Kay, B. & Withycombe Keeler, L., 26.10.2015, Routledge Handbook of Higher Education for Sustainable Development. Barth, M., Michelsen, G., Rieckmann, M. & Thomas, I. (eds.). London: Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, p. 241-260 20 p. 16. (Routledge International Handbooks Series).

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

  3. Published

    The Monster and the polar bears: constructing the future knowledge landscape of synthetic biology to inform responsible innovation.

    Withycombe Keeler, L. & Foley, R. W., 02.01.2015, In: Journal of Responsible Innovation. 2, 1, p. 81 - 84 4 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  4. Published

    Envisioning the Future of Water Governance: A Survey of Central Arizona Water Decision Makers

    White, D. D., Withycombe Keeler, L., Wiek, A. & Larson, K. L., 17.11.2015, In: Environmental Practice. 17, 1, p. 25-35 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  5. Published

    Pesticide and Greenhouse Gas Externalities from US Agriculture: The Impact of their Internalization and Climate Change

    Shakhramanyan, D. N. G., Schneider, U. A. & McCarl, B. A., 01.08.2013, In: Climate Change Economics. 4, 3, 28 p., 1350008 .

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  6. Published

    Resilienz und Reallabore als Schlüsselkonzepte urbaner Transitionsforschung: Zwölf Thesen

    De Flander, K., Hahne, U., Kegler, H., Lang, D. J., Lucas, R., Schneidewind, U., Simon, K.-H., Singer-Brodowski, M., Wanner, M. & Wiek, A., 10.10.2014, In: GAIA. 23, 3, p. 284-286 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearch

  7. Published

    Local levers for change: Mainstreaming ecosystem-based adaptation into municipal planning to foster sustainability transitions

    Wamsler, C., Luederitz, C. & Brink, E., 01.11.2014, In: Global Environmental Change : Human and Policy Dimensions. 29, p. 189 - 201 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  8. Published

    Poststrukturalismus und Postkolonialismus: Jaques Derridas "Grammatologie" sowie Gilles Deleuzes und Félix Guattaris "Tausend Plateaus"

    Angermüller, J. & Leonie, B., 2012, Schlüsselwerke der Postcolonial Studies. Reuter, J. & Karentzos, A. (eds.). Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag, p. 27 - 37 12 p.

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

  9. Published

    Understanding role models for change: a multilevel analysis of success factors of grassroots initiatives for sustainable consumption

    Grabs, J., Langen, N., Maschkowski, G. & Schäpke, N., 15.10.2016, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 134 , Part A, p. 98-111 14 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsScientific review articlesResearch

  10. Published

    Forschung für nachhaltige entwicklungen

    Grießhammer, R., Bergmann, M. & Betker, F., 05.2014, In: GAIA. 23, 2, p. 129 - 131 3 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsComments / Debate / ReportsResearch

  11. Published

    Going beyond efficiency: including altruistic motives in behavioral models for sustainability transitions to address sufficiency.

    Schäpke, N. & Rauschmayer, F., 01.04.2014, In: Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy. 10, 1, p. 29 - 44 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  12. Published

    Linking stakeholder survey, scenario analysis, and simulation modeling to explore the long-term impacts of regional water governance regimes

    Withycombe Keeler, L., Wiek, A., White, D. D. & Sampson, D. A., 04.2015, In: Environmental Science & Policy. 48, p. 237-249 13 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  13. Published

    Towards a thick understanding of sustainability transitions - Linking transition management, capabilities and social practices

    Rauschmayer, F., Bauler, T. & Schäpke, N., 01.01.2015, In: Ecological Economics. 109, p. 211-221 11 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  14. Published

    Educating sustainability change agents by design: Appraisals of the transformative role of higher education

    Brundiers, K., Savage, E., Mannell, S., Lang, D. J. & Wiek, A., 2014, Palgrave Studies in Global Higher Education. Fadeeva, Z., Galkute, L., Mader, C. & Scott, G. (eds.). Palgrave Macmillan, p. 196-229 34 p. (Palgrave Studies in Global Higher Education).

    Research output: Contributions to collected editions/worksChapterpeer-review

  15. Published

    Wirtschaftsethik - quo vadis? «Ist» und «Soll» eines Bindestxichfachs aus protestantischer Perspektive

    Oermann, N. O., 04.2014, In: Theologische Literaturzeitung. 139, 4, p. 411-426 16 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  16. Published

    Dissipation and recycling: What losses, what dissipation impacts, and what recycling options?

    Yarime, M., Carliell-Marquet, C., Hellums, D. T., Kalmykova, Y., Lang, D. J., Bao Le, Q., Malley, D., Morf, L. S., Matsubae, K., Matsuo, M., Ohtake, H., Omlin, A. P., Petzet, S., Scholz, R. W., Shiroyama, H., Ulrich, A. E. & Watts, P., 01.01.2014, Sustainable Phosphorus Management: A Global Transdisciplinary Roadmap. Scholz, R. W., Roy, A. H., Brand, F. S., Hellums, D. T. & Ulrich, A. E. (eds.). Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands, p. 247-274 28 p.

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

  17. Published

    Energy in low carbon cities and social learning: A process for defining priority research questions with UK stakeholders

    Martin, C. J., Taylor, P. G., Upham, P., Ghiasi, G., Bale, C. S. E., James, H., Owen, A., Gale, W. F., Slack, R. J. & Helmer, S., 02.2014, In: Sustainable Cities and Society. 10, p. 149-160 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  18. Published

    Understanding the modes of use and availability of critical metals-An expert-based scenario analysis for the case of indium

    Weiser, A., Lang, D. J., Schomerus, T. & Stamp, A., 01.05.2015, In: Journal of Cleaner Production. 94, p. 376-393 18 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  19. Published

    Making sense of sustainability transitions locally: how action research contributes to addressing societal challenges

    Wittmayer, J. M., Schäpke, N., van Steenbergen, F. & Omann, I., 02.10.2014, In: Critical Policy Studies. 8, 4, p. 465-485 21 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review

  20. Published

    Impacts of seasonal patterns of climate on recurrent fluctuations in tourism demand: Evidence from Aruba

    Ridderstaat, J., Oduber, M., Croes, R., Nijkamp, P. & Martens, P., 04.2014, In: Tourism Management. 41, p. 245-256 12 p.

    Research output: Journal contributionsJournal articlesResearchpeer-review