After 1945, the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities was eager to win back its former mem... more After 1945, the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities was eager to win back its former members who had been forced to leave the academy during the Nazi period, or had decided to resign in protest. This article explores how the academy dealt with its Nazi past when approaching its former members and how the emigrés reacted to the academy's actions. At first, the academy sought to draw a veil over the Nazi rule and stressed its unbroken tradition as a scholarly association, which evoked criticism especially among those former members who had been forced out of the country and decided not to return to Germany. After the academy had made some minor concessions, however, the largest part of these emigrés was quick to resume their membership in order to help their former colleagues rebuild German science. Despite their dreadful experience with the Nazi regime, they still felt emotionally attached to the German tradition of science. Moreover, facing the unwillingness of their former colleagues to deals with the Nazi past, most of the emigrés had given up on fighting for their perspectives as victims. The relative ease with which the former members could be reintegrated allowed the academy to revert to its narrative of being a victim of the Nazi regime itself. It also meant that the academy could avoid to confront openly the entanglement of science and politics during the Nazi period and the ethical responsibility of scholars as a social elite.
In: Petra Terhoeven/Dirk Schumann (ed.): Strategien der Selbstbehauptung. Vergangenheitspolitische Kommunikation an der Universität Göttingen (1945-1965), 2021
In: Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century, edited by David Kaldewey and Désirée Schauz, New York/Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2018
Introduction of the volume "Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twen... more Introduction of the volume "Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century" published with Berghahn Books 2018, which can be downloaded here: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/KaldeweyBasic.
In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Poli... more In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century (European Conceptual History, Bd. 4). New York/Oxford: berghahn books 2018, pp. 104-140.
In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Poli... more In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century (European Conceptual History, Bd. 4). New York/Oxford: berghahn books 2018, pp. 64-103.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Daniel Greenberg’s The Politics of Pure Science, we di... more On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Daniel Greenberg’s The Politics of Pure Science, we discuss trajectories of 20th century science policy concepts. Statistical analyses of digitized text corpora shed light on how ‘basic research’ became the predominant concept during World War II and in the postwar decades. In contrast to the 19th century ideal of pure science, ‘basic research’ conveys both the promise of utility and the promise of autonomy. The historical concept succeeded to bridge the gap between political and industrial expectations on the one hand and the uncertainty of the research endeavor on the other hand. Despite the more recent criticism toward the ideal of basic research, our analysis indicates that the very same concept remains relevant in normal science communication.
Science as a body of knowledge (natural and/or social) and as a method (experimental and hermeneu... more Science as a body of knowledge (natural and/or social) and as a method (experimental and hermeneutic) has been discussed and debated for centuries among philosophers and 'men of science' (scientists). This paper looks at research, the latest element added to the discourse on science. Science as research (an activity or practice), conducted at the level of individuals or organizations, has received increased attention over the course of the twentieth century in public discourse on what science is. This paper documents how different players enlarged the meaning of research from the academic sphere to also encompass government and industry, and from research to research and development. It also examines the restriction of research to mean laboratory research, and the marginalization of the role of research in explaining economic progress. It is suggested that these changes bear witness to a shift in society's cultural values: from (basic) research to (industrial) development to (technological) innovation.
Innovation, Technologie, Grundlagenforschung oder Exzellenz gehören -wie viele andere Schlagworte... more Innovation, Technologie, Grundlagenforschung oder Exzellenz gehören -wie viele andere Schlagworte auch -zum Vokabular, mit dem in unserer Gesellschaft über Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technik kommuniziert wird. Wissenschaftspolitische Expertinnen ebenso wie Laien, die sich auf die eine oder andere Weise mit Wissenschaft und Technik auseinandersetzen, scheinen ein Grundverständnis von dem zu haben, was mit diesen Begriffen gemeint ist. Versucht man sich jedoch an konkreten Definitionen, so erweist sich das schnell als ein schwieriges Unterfangen. Die Begriffe sind vielschichtig, kontextabhängig und mitunter sehr unscharf. Als Bestandteile unserer wissenschaftspolitischen Sprache sind sie hochgradig normativ aufgeladen und können dabei sowohl negativ als auch positiv konnotiert sein.
For some years now, the concept of basic research has been under attack. Yet although the signifi... more For some years now, the concept of basic research has been under attack. Yet although the significance of the concept is in doubt, basic research continues to be used as an analytical category in science studies. But what exactly is basic research? What is the difference between basic and applied research? This article seeks to answer these questions by applying historical semantics. I argue that the concept of basic research did not arise out of the tradition of pure science. On the contrary, this new concept emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when scientists were being confronted with rising expectations regarding the societal utility of science. Scientists used the concept in order to try to bridge the gap between the promise of utility and the uncertainty of scientific endeavour. Only after 1945, when United States science policy shaped the notion of basic research, did the concept revert to the older ideals of pure science. This revival of the purity discourse was caused by the specific historical situation in the US at that time: the need to reform federal research policy after the Second World War, the new dimension of ethical dilemmas in science and technology during the atomic era, and the tense political climate during the Cold War.
After 1945, the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities was eager to win back its former mem... more After 1945, the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities was eager to win back its former members who had been forced to leave the academy during the Nazi period, or had decided to resign in protest. This article explores how the academy dealt with its Nazi past when approaching its former members and how the emigrés reacted to the academy's actions. At first, the academy sought to draw a veil over the Nazi rule and stressed its unbroken tradition as a scholarly association, which evoked criticism especially among those former members who had been forced out of the country and decided not to return to Germany. After the academy had made some minor concessions, however, the largest part of these emigrés was quick to resume their membership in order to help their former colleagues rebuild German science. Despite their dreadful experience with the Nazi regime, they still felt emotionally attached to the German tradition of science. Moreover, facing the unwillingness of their former colleagues to deals with the Nazi past, most of the emigrés had given up on fighting for their perspectives as victims. The relative ease with which the former members could be reintegrated allowed the academy to revert to its narrative of being a victim of the Nazi regime itself. It also meant that the academy could avoid to confront openly the entanglement of science and politics during the Nazi period and the ethical responsibility of scholars as a social elite.
In: Petra Terhoeven/Dirk Schumann (ed.): Strategien der Selbstbehauptung. Vergangenheitspolitische Kommunikation an der Universität Göttingen (1945-1965), 2021
In: Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century, edited by David Kaldewey and Désirée Schauz, New York/Oxford: Berghahn Books, 2018
Introduction of the volume "Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twen... more Introduction of the volume "Basic and Applied Research.The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century" published with Berghahn Books 2018, which can be downloaded here: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/KaldeweyBasic.
In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Poli... more In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century (European Conceptual History, Bd. 4). New York/Oxford: berghahn books 2018, pp. 104-140.
In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Poli... more In: David Kaldewey/Désirée Schauz (Hg.), Basic and Applied Research. The Language of Science Policy in the Twentieth Century (European Conceptual History, Bd. 4). New York/Oxford: berghahn books 2018, pp. 64-103.
On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Daniel Greenberg’s The Politics of Pure Science, we di... more On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of Daniel Greenberg’s The Politics of Pure Science, we discuss trajectories of 20th century science policy concepts. Statistical analyses of digitized text corpora shed light on how ‘basic research’ became the predominant concept during World War II and in the postwar decades. In contrast to the 19th century ideal of pure science, ‘basic research’ conveys both the promise of utility and the promise of autonomy. The historical concept succeeded to bridge the gap between political and industrial expectations on the one hand and the uncertainty of the research endeavor on the other hand. Despite the more recent criticism toward the ideal of basic research, our analysis indicates that the very same concept remains relevant in normal science communication.
Science as a body of knowledge (natural and/or social) and as a method (experimental and hermeneu... more Science as a body of knowledge (natural and/or social) and as a method (experimental and hermeneutic) has been discussed and debated for centuries among philosophers and 'men of science' (scientists). This paper looks at research, the latest element added to the discourse on science. Science as research (an activity or practice), conducted at the level of individuals or organizations, has received increased attention over the course of the twentieth century in public discourse on what science is. This paper documents how different players enlarged the meaning of research from the academic sphere to also encompass government and industry, and from research to research and development. It also examines the restriction of research to mean laboratory research, and the marginalization of the role of research in explaining economic progress. It is suggested that these changes bear witness to a shift in society's cultural values: from (basic) research to (industrial) development to (technological) innovation.
Innovation, Technologie, Grundlagenforschung oder Exzellenz gehören -wie viele andere Schlagworte... more Innovation, Technologie, Grundlagenforschung oder Exzellenz gehören -wie viele andere Schlagworte auch -zum Vokabular, mit dem in unserer Gesellschaft über Wissenschaft, Forschung und Technik kommuniziert wird. Wissenschaftspolitische Expertinnen ebenso wie Laien, die sich auf die eine oder andere Weise mit Wissenschaft und Technik auseinandersetzen, scheinen ein Grundverständnis von dem zu haben, was mit diesen Begriffen gemeint ist. Versucht man sich jedoch an konkreten Definitionen, so erweist sich das schnell als ein schwieriges Unterfangen. Die Begriffe sind vielschichtig, kontextabhängig und mitunter sehr unscharf. Als Bestandteile unserer wissenschaftspolitischen Sprache sind sie hochgradig normativ aufgeladen und können dabei sowohl negativ als auch positiv konnotiert sein.
For some years now, the concept of basic research has been under attack. Yet although the signifi... more For some years now, the concept of basic research has been under attack. Yet although the significance of the concept is in doubt, basic research continues to be used as an analytical category in science studies. But what exactly is basic research? What is the difference between basic and applied research? This article seeks to answer these questions by applying historical semantics. I argue that the concept of basic research did not arise out of the tradition of pure science. On the contrary, this new concept emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a time when scientists were being confronted with rising expectations regarding the societal utility of science. Scientists used the concept in order to try to bridge the gap between the promise of utility and the uncertainty of scientific endeavour. Only after 1945, when United States science policy shaped the notion of basic research, did the concept revert to the older ideals of pure science. This revival of the purity discourse was caused by the specific historical situation in the US at that time: the need to reform federal research policy after the Second World War, the new dimension of ethical dilemmas in science and technology during the atomic era, and the tense political climate during the Cold War.
English abstract:
As one of the oldest German academies, the Göttingen learned society not only ... more English abstract:
As one of the oldest German academies, the Göttingen learned society not only had to face a radically changing research landscape since the beginning of the 20th century. Between the First World War and the first decades of the post-World War II period, the political conditions also changed significantly. The book explores how the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities and its members positioned themselves in the face of these transformations. Surrounded by old and new scientific organisations, the Göttingen scholarly network was characterised by competition and cooperation at the same time. This applied to the relationship between its two classes (comprising the hard sciences on the one hand and the humanities on the other), the cooperation with the other German academies, and the Academy’s external relations at the national and international levels. The universal scientific ethos proved to be fragile long before the advent of National Socialist rule. After the expulsion of its Jewish members in the Nazi period, the Academy found it difficult to re-establish its old contacts in the post-war era. While the institutional history of the Academy was primarily marked by collective strategies of self-assertion, case studies on individual researchers reveal how much individual room for manoeuvre the Göttingen academic elite had during the Nazi period.
Nutzenideale ändern sich. Was bleibt, ist die Einsicht, dass sich die Naturwissenschaften nicht a... more Nutzenideale ändern sich. Was bleibt, ist die Einsicht, dass sich die Naturwissenschaften nicht allein an aktuellen Bedürfnissen ausrichten sollten.
Der Aufstieg der modernen Naturwissenschaften war getragen vom Glauben, dass sich das Wissen über die Natur stetig vermehren und sich über kurz oder lang für Mensch und Gesellschaft als nützlich erweisen würde. Wie diese Erwartungen das Selbstverständnis und die Entwicklung der Naturwissenschaften prägten, ist Thema dieses Buches.
Es zeigt sich, dass die Erwartungen sich wiederholt änderten: vom universellen Nutzenideal des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts bis zum technischen Fortschrittsversprechen, das heute bestimmend ist. Der unerschütterliche
Glaube an den Nutzen der Naturwissenschaften war aber immer schon von der Einsicht begleitet, dass der Erkenntnisfortschritt nur dann gewährleistet ist, wenn sich Forschung nicht allein an kurzfristigen Bedürfnissen ausrichtet.
Diese Geschichte des modernen wissenschaftsverständnisses schlägt den Bogen von der frühneuzeitlichen Naturforschung bis hin zu den Naturwissenschaften des 20. Jahrhunderts. Mit seiner Langzeitperspektive und seinem begriffsgeschichtlichen Instrumentarium leistet dieses Buch nicht nur einen wichtigen Beitrag zur neuzeitlichen wissenschaftsgeschichte, sondern bietet zugleich eine historisch fundierte Grundlage für aktuelle Debatten der Wissenschafts- und Innovationspolitik.
Durch den Aufbau moderner außeruniversitärer Großforschung, für die in Deutschland die 1910 gegrü... more Durch den Aufbau moderner außeruniversitärer Großforschung, für die in Deutschland die 1910 gegründete Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gesellschaft (heute Max-Planck-Gesellschaft) charakteristisch ist, gerieten die traditionsreichen Akademien der Wissenschaften in die Defensive. Dies galt besonders in der NS-Zeit, in der zahlreiche weitere Wissenschaftseinrichtungen etabliert wurden, mit teils sehr spezifischen Zwecken, wie etwa im Falle der Reichsluftfahrtakademie. Herausgearbeitet wird das Ausmaß der Kooperation mit dem - keineswegs wissenschaftsfeindlichen - NS-Staat. Das nach 1945 vorgetragene Entlastungsargument, in den außeruniversitären Einrichtungen sei vornehmlich politikferne »Grundlagenforschung« betrieben worden, erweist sich dabei als nur bedingt stichhaltig.
Mit Beiträgen von Mitchell Ash, Reinhard Rürup, Rüdiger Hachtmann, Sören Flachowsky, Eva Schumann, Norbert Schappacher, Désirée Schauz, Florian Schmaltz, Katja Geisenhainer, Frank Rexroth, Wolfgang Schieder und Carola Sachse. Eingeführt wird der Band von Dirk Schumann.
The distinction between basic and applied research was central to twentieth-century science and p... more The distinction between basic and applied research was central to twentieth-century science and policymaking, and if this framework has been contested in recent years, it nonetheless remains ubiquitous in both scientific and public discourse. Employing a transnational, diachronic perspective informed by historical semantics, this volume traces the conceptual history of the basic–applied distinction from the nineteenth century to today, taking stock of European developments alongside comparative case studies from the United States and China. It shows how an older dichotomy of pure and applied science was reconceived in response to rapid scientific progress and then further transformed by the geopolitical circumstances of the postwar era.
Full text can be downloaded here: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/KaldeweyBasic.
Sace Elder: Murder Scenes. Normality, Deviance, and Criminal Violence in Weimar Berlin. (Social H... more Sace Elder: Murder Scenes. Normality, Deviance, and Criminal Violence in Weimar Berlin. (Social History, Popular Culture, and Politics in Germany) Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press 2010. 280 S. 3 Karten, 2 s/w Abb. Leinen. EUR (D) 64,99. ISBN: 978-0-472-11724-6.
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Papers by Désirée Schauz
As one of the oldest German academies, the Göttingen learned society not only had to face a radically changing research landscape since the beginning of the 20th century. Between the First World War and the first decades of the post-World War II period, the political conditions also changed significantly. The book explores how the Göttingen Academy of Sciences and Humanities and its members positioned themselves in the face of these transformations. Surrounded by old and new scientific organisations, the Göttingen scholarly network was characterised by competition and cooperation at the same time. This applied to the relationship between its two classes (comprising the hard sciences on the one hand and the humanities on the other), the cooperation with the other German academies, and the Academy’s external relations at the national and international levels. The universal scientific ethos proved to be fragile long before the advent of National Socialist rule. After the expulsion of its Jewish members in the Nazi period, the Academy found it difficult to re-establish its old contacts in the post-war era. While the institutional history of the Academy was primarily marked by collective strategies of self-assertion, case studies on individual researchers reveal how much individual room for manoeuvre the Göttingen academic elite had during the Nazi period.
Der Aufstieg der modernen Naturwissenschaften war getragen vom Glauben, dass sich das Wissen über die Natur stetig vermehren und sich über kurz oder lang für Mensch und Gesellschaft als nützlich erweisen würde. Wie diese Erwartungen das Selbstverständnis und die Entwicklung der Naturwissenschaften prägten, ist Thema dieses Buches.
Es zeigt sich, dass die Erwartungen sich wiederholt änderten: vom universellen Nutzenideal des 17. und 18. Jahrhunderts bis zum technischen Fortschrittsversprechen, das heute bestimmend ist. Der unerschütterliche
Glaube an den Nutzen der Naturwissenschaften war aber immer schon von der Einsicht begleitet, dass der Erkenntnisfortschritt nur dann gewährleistet ist, wenn sich Forschung nicht allein an kurzfristigen Bedürfnissen ausrichtet.
Diese Geschichte des modernen wissenschaftsverständnisses schlägt den Bogen von der frühneuzeitlichen Naturforschung bis hin zu den Naturwissenschaften des 20. Jahrhunderts. Mit seiner Langzeitperspektive und seinem begriffsgeschichtlichen Instrumentarium leistet dieses Buch nicht nur einen wichtigen Beitrag zur neuzeitlichen wissenschaftsgeschichte, sondern bietet zugleich eine historisch fundierte Grundlage für aktuelle Debatten der Wissenschafts- und Innovationspolitik.
Herausgearbeitet wird das Ausmaß der Kooperation mit dem - keineswegs wissenschaftsfeindlichen - NS-Staat. Das nach 1945 vorgetragene Entlastungsargument, in den außeruniversitären Einrichtungen sei vornehmlich politikferne »Grundlagenforschung« betrieben worden, erweist sich dabei als nur bedingt stichhaltig.
Mit Beiträgen von Mitchell Ash, Reinhard Rürup, Rüdiger Hachtmann, Sören Flachowsky, Eva Schumann, Norbert Schappacher, Désirée Schauz, Florian Schmaltz, Katja Geisenhainer, Frank Rexroth, Wolfgang Schieder und Carola Sachse. Eingeführt wird der Band von Dirk Schumann.
Full text can be downloaded here: https://www.berghahnbooks.com/title/KaldeweyBasic.