Two New Clusters of Excellence with GIGA Participation

Two research clusters in which the GIGA is a participant were able to secure funding in 2018 within the framework of the federal government’s Excellence Strategy. Both have now commenced their work.

With the Excellence Strategy the federal government and federal states want to strengthen cutting-edge university research in Germany. Alongside Excellence Universities, Clusters of Excellence on specific research topics will also be funded. In 2018, two such research groups in which the GIGA is a contributor were able to prevail in the competition for funding of cutting-edge research. In both projects the GIGA will cooperate closely with a variety of research institutes and universities.

The Cluster of Excellence “Climate, Climatic Change, and Society” (CliCCS) explores climate change with broad expertise. CliCCS investigates how the climate changes and how society changes with it, thereby feeding back on climate. From the GIGA, Apl. Prof. Dr. Jann Lay, Dr. Miriam Prys-Hansen, Dr. Christian von Soest, as well as President Prof. Dr. Amrita Narlikar are involved in this cluster. CliCCS is coordinated through the Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability (CEN) at the University of Hamburg.

The Cluster of Excellence “Contestations of the Liberal Script” (SCRIPTS) analyses the contemporary controversies about the liberal order from a historical, global, and comparative perspective. GIGA President Prof. Dr. Amrita Narlikar is one of the principal investigators in this research cluster. Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, the WZB Berlin Social Science Center, the Centre for East European and International Studies, the German Institute for Economic Research, the Hertie School of Governance, the Leibniz-Zentrum Moderner Orient, and the GIGA are all collaborating in SCRIPTS.