The TRA 'Individuals, Institutions and Societies'
How do we as individuals affect society and how does society in turn influence us in our actions? What role do institutions play here and how can they be designed to sustainably ensure equal opportunities and social cohesion in the age of globalization and digitization?
In order to do justice to this broad spectrum of questions, many perspectives must be taken. Economic questions are combined with legal, political, sociological, cultural, media-related and religious ones. This list is certainly not complete, but it makes clear that many disciplines are needed to do justice to such a transdisciplinary research area (TRA).
In the TRA 4 (under the short title TRA 'Individuals and Societies'), members of the Faculty of Law and Economics, the Faculty of Philosophy, and the two Faculties of Theology conduct research on these questions; in addition, our members include members of the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, the Faculty of Medicine, and other scientific institutions.
Inspiration from tradition
A challenge for the researchers of the TRA 'Individuals & Societies' is often the data situation. If existing data, such as official statistical surveys by offices and authorities, cannot be used, the researchers become active themselves. To this end, they use large-scale empirical studies, surveys and laboratory experiments such as those conducted at BonnEconLab, one of the oldest laboratories for experimental economic research.
The BonnEconLab goes back to Reinhard Selten. The later Nobel Prize winner for economics (1994) founded the lab as early as 1984. His courage to think differently still inspires researchers today - and we would like to build on this in the TRA 'Individuals and Societies': because Bonn scientists not only conduct research on individuals, institutions and societies, they also strive to give back the knowledge they have gained, for example in the context of collaborations that extend beyond scientific research institutions into politics and the living world.
Our vision: collaboration beyond the boundaries of specialist disciplines
The most important tasks of the TRA 'Individuals and Societies' include the promotion of inter- and transdisciplinary collaborations and the establishment of new collaborative research projects. In order to achieve this, the TRA is designed as an interactive platform for networking and scientific exchange. It thus offers a variety of points of contact for established scientists as well as for young researchers.
Network
The TRA 'Individuals and Societies' connects with its questions various actors from the faculties of the University of Bonn and existing research institutions, such as the Forum Internationale Wissenschaft, the Käte Hamburger Center for Advanced Study in the Humanities 'Law as Culture', the 'Forschungskolleg normative Gesellschaftsgrundlagen', the International Center for Philosophy, the Graduiertenkolleg NRW Digitale Gesellschaft and many others.
Organization of TRA 'Individuals and Societies
Institute for Psycholgy
Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin von Gaudecker
Institute for Applied Microeconomics
Born members:
- Prof. Dr. André Beauducel (Spokesperson of the TRA Institutions)
- Prof. Dr. Martin Böse88 (Dean of the Faculty of Law and Economics)
- Prof. Dr. Stephan Conermann (Dean of the Faculty of Arts)
- Prof. Dr. Hans-Martin von Gaudecker (Spokesperson of the TRA Institutions)
- Prof. Dr. Helmut Löhr (Dean of the Faculty of Protestant Theology)
- Jun.-Prof. Dr. Jacqueline Lorenzen (Argelander Professorship of TRA 'Individuals & Societies)
- Jun.-Prof. Dr. Julia Mink (Argelander Professorship of TRA ‚Individuals & Societies’)
- Prof. Dr. Andreas Odenthal (Dean of the Faculty of Catholic Theology)
- Prof. Dr. Christiane Woopen (Hertz Chair of TRA ‚Individuals & Societies’)
- Prof. Dr. Thomas Dohmen (Spokesperson of the Cluster of Excellence ECONtribute)
Representatives Professorate:
- Prof. Dr. Markus Gabriel (Faculty of Arts)
- Prof. Dr. Dennis Lehmkuhl (Faculty of Arts)
- Prof. Dr. Laura Münkler (Faculty of Law and Economics, Schlegel-Professorship)
- Prof. Dr. Cornelia Richter (Faculty of Protestant Theology)
- Prof. Dr. Caja Thimm (Faculty of Arts)
- Dr. Jan Voosholz (Faculty of Arts)
- Prof. Dr. Florian Zimmermann16 (Faculty of Law and Economics)
Representatives of the Status Groups:
- Jakob Wegmann (mid-level faculty, Faculty of Law and Economics)
- Johannes Fröh (mid-level faculty, Faculty of Protestant Theology)
- Simone Jost (administrative and technical staff, Faculty of Law and Economics)
- Melanie Wolff Metternich (administrative and technical staff, Faculty of Arts)
- Fabio Urrich (representative, Faculty of Law and Economics)
- N.N.
Manager TRA 'Individuals & Societies'
Strategic Development and Quality Assusrance
TRA 'Individuals & Societies' student assistants:
- Andrea Haag
The TRA 'Individuals & Societies' is closely linked to four faculties of the University of Bonn:
- Faculty of Arts
- Faculty of Law and Economics
- Faculty of Protestant Theology
- Faculty of Catholic Theology
The deans of these four faculties are members of the TRA 'Individuals & Societies' Steering Committee.
All important information about the structure, objectives and legal basis of TRA 'Individuals & Societies' can be found in our statute.
Within the framework of the Excellence Strategy of the German Federal and State Governments, the TRA 'Individuals & Societies' is funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and the Ministerium für Kultur und Wissenschaft des Landes Nordrhein-Westfalen (MKW).
Contact for further information
The other TRAs at the University of Bonn
In addition to the TRA 'Individuals and Societies', there are five other transdisciplinary research areas at the University of Bonn. The TRA management is happy to support you in establishing contact with the researchers of the five other TRAs and in developing innovative collaborations.