Dr. Britt Schlünz
Main Focus
Britt Schlünz is a historian interested in the changing understanding of science in the face of social challenges and global crises. Coming from a joint research project on the societal responsibility of research, she is now conducting an analysis of climate, biodiversity and sustainability research of the Max Planck Society (MPG). The project not only takes stock of relevant research carried out in all three sections of MPG, but aims to support self-reflection of research and to find pathways towards transformative research by identifying previously untapped potentials for cooperation.
Further details: Pathways towards transformative research: An analysis of climate and sustainability research within the Max Planck Society
Curriculum Vitae
Britt Schlünz studied History and Philosophy at Humboldt University Berlin and University College London (UK). In her PhD dissertation in history at Humboldt University Berlin, she researched the relation of catholic piety and politics in 19th century Spain and Cuba. Britt was a member of the Max Planck International Research School Moral Economies of Modern Societies at the MPI of Human Development and a visiting fellow at the German Historical Institute Rome and the University of California at Berkeley. Her monograph Pastoral und Politik. Katholische Frömmigkeit im Spanien des 19. Jahrhunderts (Pastoral care and politics. Catholic piety in 19th century Spain) was published by Campus-Verlag in 2024.
In 2023, she embarked on a new research project at the MPI for the History of Science as part of the joint project LeNa Shape (funded by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research), establishing the principle of "research in societal responsibility" in science organizations and research processes. She coordinated the MPIWG's sustainability group.
Since joining MPI-GEA in April 2024, she is continuing her work on the question which values guide scientific organizations and investigates modes of self-reflection in research. Her current project deals with an analysis of climate and sustainability research of the Max Planck Society with the aim of identifying previously untapped opportunities for cooperation.
Recent publications
Kopfmüller, J.; Walz, R. (Coordination and main authors); Benighaus, C.; Bührer, S.; Danielzyk, R.; Deckers, M.; Ferse, S.; Frank, D.; Helming, K.; Kreutzer, D.; Lutz, R.; Maikämper, M.; Pfeifer, L.; Pflaum, H.; Potthast, T.; Schlüter, A.; Schlünz, B.; Siegmund, Y.; Treutner, F.; Vogt, M.; Weber, C.; Weihgold, V.; Winkelmann, M. (2024): Exzellent forschen in gesellschaftlicher Verantwortung. Positionspapier des Projektkonsortiums LeNa Shape, DOI: 10.5445/IR/1000170107.
Book (first project):
Schlünz, B. (2024): Pastoral und Politik. Katholische Frömmigkeit im Spanien des 19. Jahrhunderts (= Religion und Moderne, Volume 29). Frankfurt am Main: Campus