The working group »Planetary Crises – Planetary Thinking?« starts from the diagnosis of crisis – humanity is currently facing challenges that are unique in its history. The current situation can justifiably be described as a planetary crisis. The phenomena discussed under the heading of climate change - global warming, the destruction of the foundations of life for humans, plants and animals, migration, conflicts over resources, water shortages, hunger and the renewed increase in poverty, species extinction, radical transformation of »ecosystems« and, finally, the transformation of economies – clearly demonstrate how profound and comprehensive, multidimensional and interdependent this crisis is. The challenge societies face today is to bring their own causal influences under control in a recuperative development and to do this in a normatively justified and defensible way. The working group addresses both the pressing normative-political issues that can guide the socio-ecological transformation of contemporary societies and the question of whether (and if so, to what extent) we need to revise the fundamental way in which we conceive the relations among humans, nature and animals in our societies.

The working group is based on an initiative by Matthias Lutz-Bachmann (Forschungskolleg Humanwissenschaften) and Claus Leggewie (University of Giessen) and cooperates with the Giessen »Panel on Planetary Thinking«. One of the goals of the meetings is to explore the potential for an interdisciplinary research network. Members of Goethe University and the Senckenberg Society are involved.

Contact: Dr. Philipp Schink (schink@forschungskolleg-humanwissenschaften.de).