GRK 687:  European Society

• Subject Area: History ; Social Sciences
• Term: from 2001 to 2004
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 273249

The research training group aims at the promotion of research on the upheavals of societal order and orientation in the process of European integration. It intends to historically and systematically investigate the foundations of the traditions of present concepts on the project of a European society and to examine which principles of structure can and shall apply to them. It also intends to empirically study in how far the European societies begin to resemble each other, which transnational links develop, to which degree a European public forms, and in how far a European identity gains in meaning. Again, systematically and by falling back on historical traditions it addresses the question of how the problems of European self-assertion that become visible in the process can be mastered productively. Historical and empirical reassurances aim at the initiation of a discussion of possible strategies of action in order to promote the process of unfolding a commonly experienced idea of Europe. For this purpose the studies of history and literature, philosophy, sociology, economics, and in educational science concerning the development of a European society will be brought together. Going beyond the closing of empirical gaps, the interdisciplinary dialogue aims at sharpening the appreciation of problems and at pressing ahead with the development of an appropriate conceptual terminology. At the same time the forging of a link between the liberal arts and the social sciences in a wider sense shall further strengthen the interdisciplinary and problem-orientated European orientation of the academic offspring and press promote the creation a corresponding image of the University of Essen.

• DFG Programme: Research Training Groups
• Applicant Institution: Universität Duisburg-Essen; Campus Essen (aufgelöst)
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Wilfried Loth
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Ursula Boos-Nünning; Professor Dr. Justus Cobet; Professorin Dr. Maria Dietzel-Papakyriakou; Professor Dr. Roland Galle; Professor Dr. Siegfried Gehrmann; Professorin Dr. Heidrun Hoppe; Professorin Dr. Doris Janshen (†); Professor Dr. Paul Münch; Professor Dr. Roland Naul; Dr. Renate Nestvogel; Professor Dr. Werner Nienhüser; Professor Dr. Hans Nokielski; Professor Dr. Eckart Pankoke (†); Professor Dr. Dieter Sturma