Futures of Global Cooperation - Conference of the Centre for Global Cooperation Research: Upgrading Cooperation Research in Duisburg

The concept of creating a ‘free room for thoughts’ for global cooperation researchers from all over the world, with which the new Centre was launched in 2012, has proven itself for the still young field of research and the University of Duisburg-Essen. The research contributions of visiting scholars–more than 100 fellows from all over the world within 6 years – have contributed a better understanding of factors and mechanisms that promote or prevent global cooperation. In the face of new political challenges and rapidly changing framework conditions, further questions arise that the Centre will address over the next six years with its proven international network strategy. To mark the opening of the next research period, the ‘Futures of Global Cooperation’ conference gathers more than one hundred national and international experts on the four topics that will guide future research: Pathways and Mechanisms, Polycentric Governance, Legitimacy, and Concepts of World Order in Global Cooperation. Participants include also current fellows at the Centre, as well as numerous members of the interdisciplinary main research area ‘Transformation of Contemporary Societies’. Prof. Dr Michael Zürn, chairman of the scientific advisory board of the Centre and Director of the ‘Global Governance’ section at the Berlin Social Science Centre (WZB) gives the keynote speech of the event on 'Global Governance in Hard Times'.

‘In its first funding period, the Centre developed the substantive and methodological foundation for a new interdisciplinary field of research in global cooperation research. We now want to deepen and expand research and make its relevance for science, practice and the public more visible’, stated Sigrid Quack. As new Managing Director, the Professor for Sociology at the University of Duisburg-Essen will lead the Centre, together with the Co-directors Tobias Debiel, Director of the Institute for Development and Peace (INEF), Dirk Messner, Director of the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE) in Bonn and Jan Aart Scholte, Professor at the University of Gothenburg and at the UDE. Founding Director Claus Leggewie, continues to advise the Centre as a Senior Research Fellow.

About the CentreKäte Hamburger Kolleg / Centre for Global Cooperation Research is an interdisciplinary research institute of the University of Duisburg-Essen. The Centre provides a framework for internationally renowned fellows from different disciplines and world regions to pursue research on the opportunities and challenges of global cooperation amidst political-cultural differences in the world society.

Käte Hamburger Kolleg / Centre for Global Cooperation Research was co-founded by the German Development Institute / Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik (DIE), the Institute for Development and Peace / Institut für Entwicklung und Frieden (INEF), and the Institute for Advanced Study in the Humanities / Kulturwissenschaftliches Institut Essen (KWI).