What are the potentials, contradictions, and limits of urban scholarship that aspires to be both analytical and transformative? The 2026 IRS Spring Academy will address this question.

Whether wind turbines or housing construction - planning projects are increasingly characterized by conflicts. However, the increase in conflicts is not limited to spatial planning: every debate about shaping the future today is burdened by fundamental conflicts about identity, belonging and truth. This issue (only available in German) reports on conflicts over LNG terminals on Rügen and in Wilhelmshaven, the supposed conflict between social and climate-friendly housing policy and how to deal with right-wing mobilization in cities.

The portal Stadt-Raum-Geschichte.de is part of the digital strategy of the Research Area "Contemporary History and Archives". The unique holdings of the Scientific Collections are gradually being made accessible there in digitalised form. Plans, photos and architectural designs can be searched for thematically and in a map view. The portal also provides insights into the research activities of the Research Area.


News

15. December 2025 | News

Andreas Kuebart, researcher in the Research Area "Economy and Civil Society," represented the IRS at the EU's AI Policy Summit and spoke about critical capital structures for European tech companies. Because one thing is clear: Europe is strong in research, but it shows weaknesses when it comes to growth capital. more info

04. December 2025 | Feature

Many people are familiar with the concept of “good addresses”. But how did they become what they are today? The research project “RichMap – Where the Rich Live” examines German villa districts throughout the 20th century. Eva Maria Gajek, historian in the IRS Research Area “Contemporary History and Archives”, is one of two project leaders. more info

25. November 2025 | Pressemitteilung

A new EU research report led by Andreas Kuebart at the Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS) recommends more actively attracting pension funds and international sovereign wealth funds as investors for European venture capital. The aim is to improve start-up financing in the EU and strengthen Europe's technological sovereignty. more info

Foto: Michael Nolte, Wikimedia Commons
19. November 2025 | News
Call for papers for a special issue in Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning (RuR)

A special issue of the journal "Raumforschung und Raumordnung | Spatial Research and Planning (RuR)" will focus on the ongoing socio-economic and political divide between eastern and western Germany. The guest editors are Franziska Görmar and Jörn Knobloch from the Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography. Abstracts can be submitted until 31 January 2026. more info

Upcoming Events

09. June | 2026 - 12. June | 2026

Doctoral and postdoctoral researchers are invited to the IRS Spring Academy, an interdisciplinary space dedicated to critically examining and discussing their projects and positionalities in engaged urban research. more infos