Societies are under pressure. Global warming, increasing environmental pollution, species extinction, scarcity of resources or rising social inequality – more and more social-ecological crises make it clear that the current economic and cultural model is not sustainable. Against this background, it is not the question whether a transformation of modern societies will take place, but whether this will be enforced more by the circumstances or can be shaped within the framework of certain civilisational standards. In short, whether transformation takes place by design or by disaster. But how do modern societies transform? One thing is certain: a comprehensive process of change requires much more than technological innovation.

Since 2017, there is the interdisciplinary master’s program Transformation Studies at the Europa Universität Flensburg. Michaela Christ, Program Director, will present the program and talk about the experiences in teaching and studying transformation.

Dr. Michaela Christ is a sociologist at the Norbert Elias Center of the European University Flensburg, where she is responsible for the field of historical transformation research. She is one of the directors of the transdisciplinary research project „Entwicklungschancen und Hemmnisse einer suffizienzorientierten Stadtentwicklung“ (Development Opportunities and Obstacles of Sufficiency-Oriented Urban Development). In this project, scientists and employees of the city of Flensburg are jointly exploring the possibilities of a space-saving mobility and housing policy. Michaela Christ is also head of the interdisciplinary master’s program Transformation Studies, which was introduced in 2017.

Everyone is welcome to attend.