Within the FGZ, eleven German research institutes work together in an interdisciplinary cooperation to investigate the theoretical foundations, empirical sources, social and political effects as well as the historical and regional variants of social cohesion.
About 80 projects will address these issues and engage in various forms of dialogue and knowledge transfer with society. They group in three research clusters, each of them combining different perspectives and approaches for exploring social cohesion. The first cluster deals with "theories, policies and cultures of cohesion". The second cluster researches "structures, spaces and milieus of cohesion" while the third cluster focuses on the “historical, global and regional variations of cohesion." The research and transfer activities of the FGZ are coordinated by the universities of Bremen, Frankfurt am Main and Leipzig.
The central decision-making body of the FGZ is the Institute Council. All eleven locations of the FGZ are represented by one spokesperson for each institute. It is led by the Council’s spokespersons Prof. Olaf Groh-Samberg (University of Bremen), Prof. Nicole Deitelhoff (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main) and Prof. Matthias Middell (University of Leipzig).
Central Committees and Organizational Units
Institute Council
The Institute Council is the central decision-making body, representing the eleven partners which form the FGZ. Currently, the following researchers are members of the Institute Council:
Prof. Dr. Stefanie Schüler-Springorum (Technische Universität Berlin, Center for Research on Antisemitism)
Prof. Dr. Andreas Zick (Bielefeld University)
Prof. Dr. Olaf Groh-Samberg (University of Bremen)
Prof. Dr. Nicole Deitelhoff (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main)
Prof. Dr. Berthold Vogel (Soziologisches Forschungsinstitut Göttingen)
Prof. Dr. Reinhold Sackmann (Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg)
Prof. Dr. Uwe Hasebrink (Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut Hamburg)
Prof. Dr. Peter Dirksmeier (Leibniz University Hannover, Leibniz Research Centre TRUST)
Dr. Matthias Quent (Institut für Demokratie und Zivilgesellschaft, Jena)
Prof. Dr. Daniel Thym, LL.M. (University of Konstanz)
Prof. Dr. Matthias Middell (Leipzig University, Centre for Area Studies)
Spokesperson's Council
A council of three spokespersons is managing and representing the FGZ, implementing the resolutions of the Institute's Council and supervising the administrative office of the FGZ.
The following professors are members of the Spokesperson's Council:
Prof. Dr. Matthias Middell (University of Leipzig), Managing Spokesperson
Prof. Dr. Nicole Deitelhoff (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main), Spokeswoman
Prof. Dr. Olaf Groh-Samberg (University of Bremen), Spokesperson
Administrative Management
The administrative management of the FGZ is the responsibility of Rebecca Caroline Schmidt (Goethe University Frankfurt am Main), Tel: +49 69 798 31400
Public Relations
If you have any questions about the FGZ, please do not hesitate to contact Pia Siemer from the public relations office, Tel: +49 341 9737892.
List of Participating Institutes
| Institute |
Principal Applicant |
| Technische Universität Berlin, Center for Research on Antisemitism |
Professor Dr. Stefanie Schüler- Springorum |
| Bielefeld University,
Institute for Interdisciplinary Research on Conflict and Violence |
Professor Dr. Andreas Zick |
| University of Bremen, SOCIUM |
Professor Dr. Olaf Groh- Samberg,
Professor Dr. Uwe Schimank |
| Goethe University Frankfurt |
Professor Dr. Nicole Deitelhoff, Professor Dr. Daniela Grunow, Professor Dr. Rainer Forst |
| Soziologisches Forschungsinstitut Göttingen |
Professor Dr. Berthold Vogel |
| Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg |
Professor Dr. Reinhold Sackmann |
| Leibniz Institute for Media Research | Hans-Bredow-Institut (HBI), Hamburg |
Professor Dr. Uwe Hasebrink |
| Leibniz University Hannover, Leibniz Research Centre TRUST |
Professor Dr. Peter Dirksmeier |
| Amadeu Antonio Stiftung,
Initiatives for Civic Empowerment and a Democratic Culture Jena |
Dr. Matthias Quent |
| University of Konstanz, Faculty of Law |
Professor Dr. Daniel Thym |
| Leipzig University, Centre for Area Studies |
Professor Dr. Matthias Middell, Professor Dr. Dirk van Laak, Professor Dr. Gert Pickel |
