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Nachrichten, Termine, Experten
Limits to Growth Revisited - Call for Applications
Volkswagen Foundation Winter School
Hanover, Germany, November 24 to December 1, 2012
Background
The buzzword of our time, “sustainability”, is closely related to a book published 40 years ago, in 1972: “The Limits to Growth” written by an MIT project team involving Donella and Dennis Meadows. Using computer models in an attempt to quantify various aspects of the future, “Limits to Growth” has shaped new modes of thinking. The book became a bestseller and is still frequently cited when it comes to analyzing growth related to finite resources.
It seems that since then few things have changed. Stagnant growth in some countries, exponential growth in others, finite resources, and an unbroken depletion of the environment still pose pressing questions and should be issues of great concern for everyone. Again the various developments in different societies call for new matching modes of thinking that promise a secure future for everyone. Major questions are: What is smart or good growth? What are the limits of the future? Why are so many findings of the report still unresolved? Will there be solutions? And which ones could that be?
Objectives of the Winter School
In order to give fresh impetus to the debate, the Volkswagen Foundation aims to foster new thinking and the development of different models in all areas related to the “Limits to Growth” study at the crossroads of natural and social sciences. The Winter School “Limits to Growth Revisited” is directed specifically at 60 highly talented young scholars from related disciplines. The Foundation intends to grant this selected group of academics the opportunity to create networks with scholars from other research communities.
At the end of the Winter School shall stand a position paper along with system models containing new hypotheses, ideas, and questions. These results will be presented at an international conference on “Limits to Growth” in Hanover held by the Volkswagen Foundation and Dennis Meadows together with highranking international experts from various disciplines on the “Limits to Growth” topics. Members of the Winter School will be presenting their ideas either as a group, as panel discussants, as chairs of a session, or during Q&A sessions.
The following themes will be the starting point for discussion at this Winter School:
a) What questions have not been resolved since 1972?
b) What are new questions that are not dealt with in the report?
c) How should one rewrite the “Limits to Growth” study at the beginning of the 21st century?
Winter School “Limits to Growth Revisited”
The Volkswagen Foundation invites applications from young scholars of all related disciplines who wish to attend the Winter School and are dedicated to working together and giving significant input for and during the Limits to Growth conference.
Date
November 24 - December 1, 2012
Venue Winter School: Sonnentau Academy, Visselhoevede, Germany
nearest airports: Hanover (HAJ) and Hamburg (HAM); transfer will be arranged
Conference: Hanover, Herrenhausen Castle, Germany
Participants
60 Ph.D. students and postdoctoral fellows
Funding
Travel expenses and accommodation will be fully reimbursed to invited participants by the Volkswagen Foundation.
Deadline and Application
Applications are to be submitted as a pdf file before April 30, 2012 to ltg@volkswagenstiftung.de.
The application should be written in English and should not be longer than three pages containing:
1. name, address of applicant and institution
2. short CV, short list of publications
3. short description of own research focus
4. statement about the motivation to participate in this Winter School
5. answers to the following questions (one page)
a) What questions have not been resolved since 1972?
b) What are new questions that are not dealt with in the report?
c) How should one rewrite the “Limits to Growth” study at the beginning of the 21st century?
Coordinators
Anorthe Kremers, Dr. Henrike Hartmann, and Dr. Matthias Nöllenburg
VolkswagenStiftung
Kastanienallee 35
30519 Hanover, Germany
Queries
For queries, please contact Anorthe Kremers at the Volkswagen Foundation at +49 511 8381-260, or ltg@volkswagenstiftung.de.
More information: http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/service/veranstaltungen/winter-school-limits-to...
http://www.volkswagenstiftung.de/fileadmin/downloads/programme/20120116_Call_LTG...
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