Profile eng.
The research profile of the Chair »Urban Studies and Social Research"
The Chair “Urban Studies and Social Research" focuses on the social aspects of urban development, urban planning and architecture.
Research perspective
From a Social Science perspective, the city is considered as an urban community. Cities are as well physical and spatial as well as social types of memorials of human life and cohabitation. A high degree of dynamics but also continuity characterize the development of urban societies, but can also lead to conflicts and diverse problems. These problems, mainly deriving from the social construction of urban spaces, represent the main research motivation of the department. A social science approach within urban studies allows addressing the question of how an urban community’s different problem areas can be better understood.
Research foci
The Department conducts research projects both on a regional and international level. Sociological urban research can only be successful in transdisciplinary cooperation, considering the complexity of urban phenomena. Hence, we aim to develop joint research projects with other disciplines. The department’s thematic focus concerns primarily those social problems that - in agreement with many other observers- pose today’s biggest challenges: These include issues of social exclusion, cultural diversity, democratic participation and communication.