Obstacles to Modernization in the Economy and Science of the GDR (Mod-Block-DDR)

Emergence and Consequences - an inner-German comparison and a comparison to neighbouring countries in Central Eastern Europe

In the year 2017, the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) published the call for project proposals in the field of “GDR Research” in order to support social scientific research about the “heritage of socialism” in the German university landscape and to strengthen the research structure in this field of expertise on a competitive basis.

The research consortium “Hurdles to modernisation in the economy and science in the GDR” (Mod-Block-DDR) was selected for funding as one out of 14 projects in total. The project will run empirical and comparative analyses focusing on the question in how far the hurdles to modernisation in the GDR impact the economic development and structures of East Germany until today. Four universities in Germany together with their international cooperation partners participate in the research consortium. Jutta Günther from the University of Bremen, Faculty of Business Studies and Economics, is head of the interdisciplinary research team. Young researchers are actively participating in the research and will be promoted through a PhD or postdoc career. Further, the results of the research will be disseminated broadly in the scientific community, policy, economy and general public. Especially the transfer of new knowledge about the GDR into society will be paid special attention.

The consortium started its work on December 01, 2018 and will be supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research in a first stage until the year 2022. After positive evaluation, the second funding period of Mod-Block-DDR started on October 1, 2023 for two years.

In the context of the research project and in order to strengthen sustainable research structures, the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics of the University of Bremen filled a professorship position in economics with the specialisation “Institutional Change”. This newly established professorship is an additional action, financed by the University of Bremen and will work in close cooperation with the research consortium on complementary topics. It will particularly engage in research about institutional factors, which impact the economic catching-up process in transition economies until today.

Press release of the BMBF

Press release of the University of Bremen

19.10.2020

Research Report: Universals of Innovation - Invention and Technical Progress in the GDR and its role after 1990

In the research project "Modernization blockades in economy and science of the GDR"(Mod-Block GDR) Jutta Günther, Ann Hipp and Udo Ludwig analyzed the patent data of the GDR in comparison to the Federal Republic of Germany and present some surprising findings: Since the 1960s, the GDR, like the FRG,…

24.09.2020

Series of Events: The long Way from East to West? 30 Years of German Unity

In cooperation with the Research Centre for Eastern European Studies (FSO), the Bremen team of Mod-Block-DDR is organising the series of events "The long way from East to West? 30 Years of German Unity".

A rich mixture awaits you with discussion events, readings, lectures as well as film and…

07.09.2020

Young female scientists found regional group of the German Society for Eastern European Studies in Bremen

The application for the establishment of a regional group of the German Society for Eastern European Studies (DGO) on the initiative of young women scientists from the Mod-Block-GDR project was successful, so that the regional group in Bremen will start its work. The DGO provides financial support…

20.08.2020

Making a virtue out of necessity: Mod-Block-DDR online colloquium in the summer semester 2020

The past semester was marked by the outbreak of the coronavirus and posed challenges to the Mod-Block-DDR project team as well. In order to maintain communication within the research association despite contact and travel restrictions, an online colloquium was set up for the project team. The aim of…

03.07.2020

Mareike zum Felde: Successful proposal defense in the BIGSSS

On June 30, 2020 Mareike zum Felde successfully defended her PhD proposal in the BIGSSS. She has thus passed an important milestone as a PhD student at the Bremen International Graduate School for Social Sciences (BIGSSS).

11.06.2020

Jarina Kühn: Successful proposal defense in the BIGSSS

On June 09, 2020, Jarina Kühn successfully defended her PhD proposal in the BIGSSS. As a PhD student at the Bremen International Graduate School for Social Sciences (BIGSSS) she has thus passed an important milestone.

18.05.2020

Mod-Block-DDR starts online colloquium

As a result of the restrictions due to Covid-19, the research consortium Mod-Block-DDR also has no possibility to hold regular working and consortium meetings with physical presence. We regret this very much, but would like to use the benefits of technical progress to maintain scientific exchange…

13.05.2020

Charlotta Cordes: Sucessfull Defense in the BIGSSS

On 12 May 2020, Charlotta Cordes successfully defended her PhD proposal in the BIGSSS. She has thus passed an important milestone as a PhD student at the Bremen International Graduate School for Social Sciences (BIGSSS).

Charlotta Cordes is a research associate in the joint project Mod-Block-DDR…

04.02.2020

Thore Sören Bischoff visits Bremen as a guest researcher

From February 3 to 7, 2020, Thore Sören Bischof will visit the working group "Innovation and Structural Change" in the Faculty of Business Studies and Economics. During this time, he will work with Ann Hipp on an empirical paper analyzing the influence of informal institutions on innovation. This…

16.12.2019

"The GDR - Perspectives of their Research 30 Years after the Peaceful Revolution" - Meeting of the Research Projects in Leipzig

On 11th and 12th December 2019, the 14 research projects financed under the BMBF's "GDR Research" funding line met in Leipzig to presented their work and exchange information on activities in the field of transfer and the promotion of young researchers. Four representatives of the "Mod-Block-DDR"…

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