The project "Multiple Crises. Covid-19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Security and Ecology in Europe", funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), explores the entanglements and interplay between various crisis phenomena. The Covid-19 pandemic and climate change are the main foci of the analysis. Both crisis phenomena are equally accompanied by social, political and economic distortions, and manifest as multiple crises characterized by a high degree of complexity, multidimensional interactions, existential threat situations and an immediate need for action. The concrete interdependencies of these phenomena, which are perceived as "existential crises", are identified and analyzed with respect to three major thematic areas, namely public health, security and ecology.

The analysis focuses on three levels of investigation: crisis perception in European societies (1), crisis analyses from scientific experts (2) and crisis responses of political institutions and decision-makers (3). Following an interdisciplinary approach and in line with the concept of a “history of contemporary problems”, the project looks at adaptation practices, coping strategies and political reaction patterns at the local, national and European level In dialogue with Franco-German perspectives, it aims to develop critical humanities and social sciences- related outlooks on current crises and threats, and aims to examine their historical and societal dynamics in a global context. Researching the interaction of multiple crises should thus enable a better understanding of the perception, analysis and management of complex and entangled crisis phenomena in present-day Europe.

Lead researcher: Judith Nora Hardt (CMB), Gabriel Bartl (CMB)
Funding agency: Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, BMBF)
Duration: 03.2021 – 05.2024

Judith Nora Hardt works as a postdoctoral researcher at the Centre Marc Bloch. Her research is based on a critical-normative approach and aims to develop conceptualizations of security, conflict, human well-being and justice via new readings of human-nature relations. Since 2021, she leads the BMBF funded research project “Multiple Crises: Covid 19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Ecology and Security in Europe” at the CMB. Her work is bolstered by her engagement within the Scientists for Future movement.

Gabriel Bartl is a sociologist who has been working on the phenomenon of (in)security within the framework of several research projects during recent years. His work in the field of security research has covered various research areas, such as acceptance and risk perception research, (critical) resilience research, surveillance studies, critical security studies, and science and technology studies. Among other things, he has dealt with the question of what social implications arise from the observable trend towards an increasing epistemisation and technicization of security. Since September 2021, he has been working as one of two project leaders of the research project "Multiple Crises. Covid-19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Security and Ecology in Europe" at the Centre March Bloch.

Upcoming Events:

* 20.03.2024 – Multiple Crises PhD-Colloquium

* 12.04.2024 – Closing Conference at Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

Past events:

* 16.10.2023-18.10.2023 – Workshop: Rethinking Governance in Times of Multiple Crises

* 29.06.2023 – Workshop: Climate Change & Security: From Multiple Practice(s) to Reconceptualising Paradigm(s)

* 20.06.2023 – Climate Change & Security : Practices, Confrontations and Futures 

* 12.05.2023– Workshop: Resilienz im interdisziplinären Dialog

* 30.03.2023 – Multiple Crises PhD-Colloquium (second meeting)

* 14.10.2022 – Multiple Crises PhD-Colloquium (first meeting)

* 13.10.2022 – Round Table at "Junges Forum 2022: Social Imaginaries in times of crisis"

* 05.10.2021 – Opening Workshop „Multiple Crises. Covid-19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Security and Ecology in Europe”

Podcasts:

* 28.11.2023 – CMB-Podcast - Climate Security - Which discourses and practises around the world ? (with J.Hardt, D.Jayaram and C.Oliviera)

* 10.10.2022 – BR50-Podcast: Aktivismus in der Wissenschaft – Geht das? (P. Eiden-Offe, N. Fischer, J. Hardt und E. Heyne)

Publications:

Editorships:

Bartl, G.; Röcke, A.; Ries, S.; Tulmets, E. (2023) „Resilienz im interdisziplinären Dialog“ im "Forum" der Zeitschrift für Umweltpolitik und Umweltrecht (ZfU) 4/2023, pp. 507-592

Hardt, J. N.; Harrington, C.; Von Lucke, F.; Estève, A. and N. P. Simpson (eds.) (2023) Climate Security in the Anthropocene. Exploring the Approaches of United Nations Security Council Member-States, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland

Hardt, J. N.; Zeigermann; Ulrike; Vannier, Sébastien (eds.) (2022) ”German Climate Policy” (original title: La politique climatique allemande), in Revue L’Allemagne D’Aujourd’hui, (internal review of the 13 articles), pp. 79-246

Hardt, J. N.; Zeigermann, U.; Vannier S. (under contract) Herausforderungen und Wege der deutschen Klimapolitik in Zeiten multipler Krisen, Campus Verlag.

Book Chapters and Articles:

Bartl G., Hardt, J. N., Suttner, S., Linden, M., Ventura, A., Vogler, A., Stanley, A., Zeigermann, U., Herms, K., Zimmermann, T., Kabbej, S., Melcher, F. (2024) Rethinking Governance in Times of Multiple Crises. Vigoni Papers. 5/2023.

Bartl, G. (2024) Social and ethical implications of digital crisis technologies: Case study of pandemic simulation models during COVID-19. Special Issue "The Present and Future of Pandemic Technologies", edited by Dennis Krämer, Joschka Haltaufderheide, Jochen Vollmann (2023). In: Journal of Medical Internet Research (JMIR)

Bartl, G. (im Erscheinen) Resilienz als Transformationsnarrativ: Ausprägungen, Herausforderungen und Potenziale. In: Birgit Blättel-Mink, Torsten Noack, Corinna Onnen, Michael Opielka, Katrin Späte, Rita Stein-Redent (eds.). Vielfältige (widersprüchliche) Transformationen in krisenhaften Zeiten“. Schriftenreihe „Sozialwissenschaften und Berufspraxis“, Springer VS

Bartl, G.; Röcke, A.; Ries, S.; Tulmets, E. (2023) Resilienz im interdisziplinären Dialog, "Forum" der Zeitschrift für Umweltpolitik und Umweltrecht (ZfU), 4/2023

Bartl, G. (2023) Vielfalt und Offenheit statt Eindeutigkeit und Kontrolle. Konturen eines erweiterten Wissensbegriffes im Kontext sozial-ökologischer Nachhaltigkeit. In: Yvonne Siegmund, Ina Jessen und Ulrich Bildstein (eds.). Angst, Ekel, Scheitern. Ein Austausch zu den blinden Flecken der Nachhaltigkeit, Urbanophil Verlag, pp. 76-79

Bartl, G. (2023) Governance between ignorance and evidence. TA in the context of pandemic crisis management. In: Zeitschrift für Technikfolgenabschätzung in Theorie und Praxis (TATuP - Journal for Technology Assessment in Theory and Practice). TATuP Special topic in issue 2, 2023 “Potentials of TA in sudden and enduring crises”, pp. 30-35

Bartl, G. (2023) Krise und technologischer Solutionismus: Die politische Dimension des digitalisierten Umgangs mit Unsicherheit. In: A. Wagener / C. Stark (eds.): Die Digitalisierung des Politischen. Theoretische und praktische Herausforderungen für die Demokratie. Wiesbaden: Springer Verlag (Reihe "Sozialwissenschaften und Berufspraxis"), pp. 45-62

Bartl, G.; Hardt, J. (2022) Zum Verhältnis zwischen Wissenschaft und Politik im Kontext multipler Krisen: Covid-19 und die Klimakrise als Herausforderungen für die wissenschaftliche Politikberatung. In: Zeitschrift für Umweltpolitik & Umweltrecht 2/2022, pp. 155-178

Bartl, G. (2022) La relation science-politique face aux crises : l’exemple de la pandémie de Covid-19 en Allemagne. In: Allemagne d'aujourd'hui, n° 239/janvier-mars 2022 La politique climatique allemande. Comment rattraper le temps perdu ?, pp. 236-246

Hardt, J. N. (erscheint in 2024) “Climate Security and the European Union: Concept, Challenges, and Recommendations”, in Canadien Journal of Military Studies

Hardt, J. N. and Von Lucke, F. (erscheint in 2024) “Climate Security and Justice” in Zeigermann, U. and Böcher, M. (eds.) Handbook „Environmental Policy“, Edward Elgar

Hardt, J. N. (erscheint in 2024) “Ecological/climate change security” in Brechin,  S. (eds.) Routledge Handbook of Climate Change and Society, Routledge

Hardt, J. N. (erscheint in 2024) “Climate change and the UN security council” in Mathews, R. and LeHolland, A. (eds.) Climate Change and International Relations, Edward Elgar

Hardt, J. N. (2023) “Climate Change and Security in the Anthropocene: Existential Threats, Ethics, and Futures” in Di Paola, Marcello and Pellegrino,Gianfranco (eds.) Springer Handbook of Philosophy of Climate Change, Springer Cham, pp. 1-19

Hardt, J. N.; Harrington, C.; Von Lucke, F.; Estève, A.; N. Simpson (2023) “Introduction: A Framework for Assessing Climate Security” in Hardt et al. (eds.) Climate Security in the Anthropocene. Exploring the Approaches of United Nations Security Council Member-States, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 10-28

Hardt, J. N.; Harrington, C.; Von Lucke, F.; Estève, A.; N. Simpson (2023) “Climate Security at a Crossroads: The Evolution and Future of Climate Security in the United Nations Security Council and its Member States“ in Hardt et al. (eds.) Climate Security in the Anthropocene. Exploring the Approaches of United Nations Security Council Member-States, Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland, pp. 306-326

Hardt, J. N.;  Pérez de Armino, K. (2023) “Climate Security and the European Union” in Trombetta, J. M. (eds.) Handbook on Climate Security, Edward Elgar, pp. 127-143

Hardt, J. N.; Zeigermann, U.; Vannier, S. (2022) “German climate policy challenged to make up for lost time” (original title: La politique climatique allemande au défi de rattraper le temps perdu) in Revue L’Allemagne D’Aujourd’hui, 239, pp. 79-82

Hardt, J. N. (2021) “Research Perspectives and Boundaries of Thought: Security, Peace, Conflict, and the Anthropocene”, in Special Issue Revista de Estudios en Seguridad Internacional, Vol. 7/1, pp. 11-28

Hardt, J. N. (2021) “The United Nations Security Council at the edge of Climate Change?” in Journal Politics and Governance, Vol.9/4, pp. 5-15

Von Lucke, F.; J. N. (2022) “German climate policy from a foreign and security policy perspective: a solution for the future?” (original title: La politique climatique allemande sous l’angle de la politique extérieure et de sécurité: une solution d’avenir?) in Hardt, J. N.; Zeigermann, U. and Vannier, S. “La politique climatique allemande”, Revue L’Allemagne D’Aujourd’hui, 239, pp. 111-123

Hardt, J. N. Co-author of Diskussionsbeiträge der Scientists for Future: Brendel et al. (2023)„The energy transition as a response to climate crisis and war: Recommendations for resilience building and peacekeeping in Europe“ (orginal title: Die Energiewende als Antwort auf Klimakrise und Krieg:Empfehlungen zur Resilienzstärkung und Friedenssicherung in Europa” , 14, doi:10.5281/zenodo.7657957

Conferences:

Bartl, G. (2023) Multiple Crises - Covid19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Security and Ecology in Europe. Poster und Lightning Talk. Herrenhausen Conference “Climate Related Systemic Risks: Lessons Learned from Covid-19”, co-organized by the Max-Planck- Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena and the Volkswagen Foundation. 21. - 23. Juni 2023, Hannover, Germany

Bartl, G. (2023) Ökologische Nachhaltigkeit zwischen Evidenz und Kontroverse. Vortrag auf dem Symposium "Angst, Ekel, Scheitern". Oberhafen, Hamburg, 25. - 27. Mai 2023. https://angstekelscheitern.de/dr-gabriel-bartl-oekologische-nachhaltigkeit-zwischen-evidenz-und-kontroverse/

Bartl, G. (2023) Between knowledge and ignorance: Implications of digital technologies for Public Health management. STS-hub.de Conference "Circulations" - Towards encounters amongst STS scholars in Germany , 15.-17. März 2023, RWTH Aachen

Bartl, G. (2022) Das Forschungsprojekt „ Multiple Crises. Covid-19 and the Entanglements of Public Health, Security and Ecology in Europe“. Poster auf dem Kongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Soziologie, Bielefeld, 26.- 30. September 2022. https://kongress2022.soziologie.de/fileadmin/kongress/Postersession/BartlDGSKongress22.pdf

Bartl, G. (2022) The acceptability of mathematical modeling in the context of Covid-19. Vortrag auf der International Online Conference “Digital technologies in the Covid-19 pandemic”. A Transnational Dialogue between Germany and Japan, 14.-18. März 2022

Bartl, G. (2021) Krise zwischen Nichtwissen und technologischem Solutionismus. Vortrag im Rahmen des Seminars "Krisen und kultureller Wandel" an der Hafen City University Hamburg, 27. Oktober 2021

Hardt, J. N. (2023) organization of the Panel together with Franziskus von Lucke “From Discourse to Practice? Exploring the Institutionalization of Climate Security in the Anthropocene"; presentation “Climate Security in the Anthropocene: Exploring the Approaches of United Nations Security Council Member-States”; Discussant of the panel “Planetary Climate Governance: Making the climate governable and reconfiguring political technologies in the Anthropocene” at the European International Studies Association Conference, Potsdam, Germany, 5.-9 September 2023

Hardt, J. N. (2023) Presentation of the paper “The UN Security Council: At the Forefront of Climate Change?" for Panel "Climate Change and Security: Institutional Responses” at the International Studies Association Conference, Montreal, Canada, 15-18. March 2023

Hardt, J. N. (2023) Paper presentation “Contrasting Climate Security Approaches of the European Union with Climate and Earth System Sciences”, Climate and Security Workshop, University of Durham, Durham, UK, 19.-20. January 2023

Hardt, J. N. (2022) Input presentation at the „Kick-off event for the dialogue process: The Federal Government's foreign climate policy strategy“, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Auswärtige Politik, Berlin, Germany, 15. October 2022

Hardt, J. N. (2022) Paper presentation together with Adrien Estève “Climate Security at the Extremes: Comparing French and Indian Approaches in the United Nations Security Council“ at the workshop “Climate Security. Toward a critical conceptualization", Hamburg, Germany, 28.-30. November 2022

Hardt, J. N. (2021) Paper presentation “Climate Crisis: What is at stake for Security? (original title: Crise climatique : quels enjeux pour la sécurité?), Colloque du Centre FrancoPaix, Montreal, Canada, 2.-3-December 2021 (online)

Hardt, J. N. (2021) Paper at the international conference “From a Climate‐Security Nexus of Conflicts to a Nexus of Synergies. Climate change action for peacebuilding and human security”, Research Group Climate and Security (CLISEC), Hamburg, Germany, 2.-3. December 2021

Hardt, J. N. (2021) Part of the podium „Transnational scientific work in the context of climate protection“, BMBF-Project „Wissen Entgrenzen“, Max Weber Stiftung, CMB, Berlin, Germany, 15. September 2021

Hardt, J. N. (2021) Discussant at the panel “Anthropocene Securities: Recollections and Reflections 50 Years After the Stockholm Conference on the Human Environment”; Paper presentation “The United Nations Security Council at the brink of (socioecological) Change” at the Panel, Climate Change and Security beyond the state, International Studies Association Conference (ISA), Las Vegas, USA (online), 6.-9- April 2021

Hardt, J. N. (2021) Discussant at the session “Epistemology of Scarcity: Resources, Environment and Conflict”, Association pour les Études sur la Guerre et la Stratégie (Associacion pour les Études sur la Guerre et la Stratégie), (online), 18. May 2021