DFG Network Investigates Social Transformation

Climate crisis, social inequality, technological upheavals: The world is undergoing profound change. But how exactly do such changes come about, and what role do organizations play in them? A new international DFG research network aims to explore these questions.

The project “Organizing Societal Transformation: A Process-Based Perspective” is coordinated by Leuphana researcher Dr. Laura Fey, who, as the principal investigator, is collaborating with Dr. Alex Christian (TU Munich), Jun. -Prof. Dr. Ignas M. Bruder (TU Dresden), Dr. Andrea Wessendorf (University of Edinburgh), and Dr. Rasmus Pichler (Erasmus University Rotterdam). Over the course of three years, researchers from various European universities will collaborate to develop new perspectives on processes of societal change. Laura Fey herself is based at the Leuphana Research Center LOST (Leuphana Center for Organization & Social Transformation). 

A particular focus of the DFG network is on the role of organizations. Companies, NGOs, social enterprises, and government institutions play a dual role in this context: they actively drive change—for example, through innovation or new business models—while simultaneously responding to social pressure, political mandates, or shifting expectations. Until now, these two roles have generally been considered separately in research. The network aims to bring these perspectives together and focuses particularly on the development: “We do not want to view transformation as a sudden state, but as an ongoing process. We are particularly interested in the intertwined dynamics of actively driving and passively responding to societal transformations. The goal is to develop a deeper understanding of transformation processes that goes beyond the scope of individual research projects and thus lays the foundation for a new research agenda,” explains Laura Fey.

In addition to theoretical questions, the network also pursues concrete practical applications. For example, Laura Fey is investigating in eastern German regions how organizations can support structural change, such as the transition from lignite to renewable energy. This involves not only economic aspects but also questions of identity and social cohesion.

The network plans to hold several international meetings and publish a joint anthology. At the same time, it aims to offer young researchers the opportunity to network internationally and generate new research ideas.

The DFG is funding the project with approximately 93,000 euros.