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2002 BERLIN CONFERENCE ON THE HUMAN DIMENSIONS OF GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL
CHANGE

"Knowledge for the Sustainability Transition: The Challenge for Social
Science"

Berlin, 6-7 December 2002

The Environmental Policy and Global Change Section of the German
Political Science Association (DVPW) invites papers for the 2002 Berlin
Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, to be
held in Berlin on 6-7 December 2002. This year's discussions will
address the theme "Knowledge for the Sustainability Transition: The
Challenge for Social Science". The 2002 Berlin Conference has been
endorsed by the Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change
core project of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global
Environmental Change (IHDP), and is organised by the Global Governance
Project of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) in
co-operation with the Environmental Policy Research Unit of the Free
University of Berlin.

Plenary speakers include Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change; Oran Young, chair of the IHDP
Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change project; and
John Schellnhuber, director of PIK and research director of the Tyndall
Centre for Climate Change Research.


WHAT DO WE KNOW?

The global environmental crisis--from stratospheric ozone depletion to
local water pollution--serves to emphasize anew the role of knowledge in
political decision-making. Many observers view the existing knowledge
base as insufficient for a world-wide transition to sustainability. But
how can we do better? Do we need new kinds of knowledge or new ways to
generate knowledge, for instance through a fundamental overhaul of the
way we conduct scientific research? How could social and scientific
institutions be designed, and possibly reformed, to generate
sustainability-relevant knowledge? And what are the effects of the
current knowledge base, and the ways it is generated and distributed, on
societal decision-making on environmental protection? Within this
general framework, we invite papers for the 2002 Berlin Conference on
one of three sets of questions:


KNOWLEDGE FOR SUSTAINABILITY: THREE RESEARCH QUESTIONS

First, we invite papers that conceptualise the knowledge base for the
sustainability transition as something that is affected by political
decision-making. We seek papers, in particular, that analyse ways in
which national and international politics and institutions influence the
way sustainability knowledge is generated, distributed and used by
actors. Papers could address, for example, ways in which political
systems influence scientific research for the sustainability transition,
including policies that shape the development and safe use of new
technologies both harmful and beneficial to the sustainability
transition. We also invite papers that examine the distribution and
utilisation of knowledge, from scientific information to technical
expertise, and that seek to explain the role of political institutions
and political and societal actors in these knowledge-generation
processes.

Second, and interrelated with the first point, we invite papers that
view knowledge as a factor that affects and influences political
decision-making. It has long been argued that not only power and
interests, but also ideas, discourses or belief systems influence the
outcome of political decision-making. We thus solicit papers that
present cutting-edge research on these questions and that analyse, in
particular, the ways in which existing knowledge--from scientific
information to more general ideas, discourses or belief systems--affects
the ways in which political actors respond to the global environmental
crisis. Are there dominant discourses and ideas that prevent us from
reaching a more sustainable development? Does 'science' and modern
technology in itself lead to unsustainable development paths--and how
can democratic political institutions manage to live with, for example,
the Genie of modern nuclear and molecular technologies?

Third, we invite papers from fellow social scientists that respond to
the challenges raised by recent thinkers who have argued for fundamental
changes in the way science is conducted--thinkers who have put forward
integrative concepts such as 'earth system analysis', 'syndromes of
global change' or 'sustainability science'. It has been maintained, for
example, that a new 'sustainability science' must bridge the
local-global divide and must include interdisciplinary research that is
concerned with multiple scales and multiple actors--how would this
affect social science, for example the divide between scholars of
international relations and comparative environmental politics? Also, it
has been suggested that a sustainability science would require joint
efforts of experts and stakeholders from a variety of regions and
backgrounds: does the current practice of stakeholder involvement live
up to the requirements of sustainability science? In a similar vein, new
initiatives strive to better integrate colleagues fr
om developing countries and to build-up independent research capacities
in the South--how will this affect the way social science is conducted
in the North? Sustainability science, finally, is envisaged as
inherently problem-driven in a way that defines academic puzzles from
the practitioners' side, not from the autonomous theory-building
research process. How would this affect social science? We welcome
innovative and (self-)critical papers on these questions, and hope to
stir up debate within the social science community. In addition, we
intend to provide some open space during the conference to engage in
informal debate among participants on these broader questions.


HOW TO PARTICIPATE

The 2002 Berlin Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global
Environmental Change is the second of its kind in Germany. The last
meeting--the 2001 Berlin Conference--gathered 166 participants from 28
countries for a two-day discussion on the role of the nation state in
global environmental change. While the Berlin Conferences are organised
by the German Political Science Association, we seek dialogue with
colleagues from other fields of social science as well as related
expertise from natural and integrative sciences, and welcome
representatives of these disciplines too.

The conference will be held in English. Prospective paper-givers should
send an abstract of their paper of less than 200 words (including name,
affiliation and full address of presenters) in the body of an e-mail (no
e-mail attachments, please) to the conference office at the Potsdam
Institute for Climate Impact Research
([log in to unmask]). We also invite the submission of
full panels of not more than three presenters, in particular panels that
represent different geographic, disciplinary or theoretical backgrounds,
or different stages in career development. Pre-registration is required.



DEADLINES

The deadline for submissions is 31 July 2002. All paper and panel
submissions will be reviewed before being accepted for the conference
programme. We will send out decisions on acceptance of papers by 14
August 2002. We expect all presenters to e-mail the final version of
their paper by 29 November. Full papers submitted earlier will be posted
on our web site to initiate early discussion.


FINANCIAL SUPPORT

We are making all efforts to ensure funding to reimburse the travel
costs of paper presenters. For the 2001 Berlin Conference, generous
donor support allowed us to reimburse parts of the travel costs of many
non-German participants.


FURTHER INFORMATION

Further information about the 2002 Berlin Conference will be posted at
www.environmental-policy.de. For questions or suggestions, please
contact

* Frank Biermann, Chair, DVPW Environmental Policy and Global Change
Section ([log in to unmask]), or
* Sabine Campe, Manager, 2002 Berlin Conference
([log in to unmask]).



------------------------------------------------------------
Sabine Campe
Manager, 2002 Berlin Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global
Environmental Change

c/o Global Governance Project
Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK)
P.O. Box 60 12 03
14412 Potsdam
Germany

facsimile ++49-(0)331-288 2640
e-mail: [log in to unmask]