About 30 researchers gathered in Kiel on June 11 and 12 for a discussion on the topic “Political Tides: Reflection & Relevance of Marine Social Science and Humanities.” The meeting of the Strategy Group for Social and Cultural Sciences of the German Alliance for Marine Research (DAM) was organized by the Center for Ocean and Society (CeOS) of the research priority area Kiel Marine Science (KMS) at Kiel University.
The event provided a platform for discussing current research and facilitated an exchange on research agendas and the current challenges facing German marine social and cultural research in light of political change processes.
Four thematic sessions and a panel discussion addressed key questions regarding the scientific and societal relevance of social science-based marine research. The focus was on security policy issues as well as topics such as sustainability and marine biodiversity. A particular focus of the panel discussion was on the impact of new geostrategic shifts and geopolitical tensions on marine research within the German research landscape. Other key discussion topics included transformative and adaptive processes in addressing marine challenges, as well as conceptual issues in interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary marine research. The event highlighted the important role of research in the social and cultural sciences in understanding and shaping society’s relationship with the sea in times of profound political and ecological change.
The Strategy Group for the Social and Cultural Sciences, previously an established body within the German Marine Science Consortium (KDM), is currently being integrated into the structure of the German Alliance for Marine Research (DAM) following the merger of KDM and DAM. It brings together researchers from various social and cultural science disciplines and provides a platform for professional exchange and the further development of shared research perspectives. As the event’s organizer and co-spokesperson for the Strategy Group, Dr. Annegret Kuhn (CAU) expressed great satisfaction with the meeting and emphasized that the participants’ contributions had demonstrated the wide range of existing social and cultural marine research in Germany. The event also sparked new ideas for future research initiatives and collaborations.