Cooperative Sciences

Welcome to the Division of Cooperative Sciences!

Nana Afranaa Kwapong, PhD Student at  the Division of Cooperative Sciences, won an award from Euricse – European Research Institute on Cooperative and Social Enterprise. She is invited to present her paper at the conference “Promoting the understanding of cooperatives for a better world” in Venice (15-16 March 2012).

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The Division of Cooperative Sciences and The Berlin Institute for Cooperative Studies (BICS) are organizing the international  conference  “Cooperative responses to global challenges” at Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The call and the program are provided on the conference web site here.
More detailed information of the International Year of Cooperatives 2012 are available at the UN-Website here.

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The Berlin Institute for Cooperative Studies (BICS) is participating in the EU research project "Support for Famers' Cooperative" of the DG Agriculture and Rural Development. More information about the research project » New research project on energy cooperatives   » more

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Albrecht-Daniel-Thaer-Award 2011 for Jens Rommel   » more

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Against the background of growing global challenges even small changes in the understanding of complex cooperative relationships and solutions for typical collective action problems may yield high social benefits. The cognitive interest of the division of Cooperative Sciences can easily be classified under the disciplines of Economics (human behaviour against the background of scarce resources and alternative choices) and Social Sciences (socio-cultural aspects of human behaviour). Therewith, the Cooperative Sciences study human behaviour in relation to reciprocity and promotional aspects as well as the activities of members of collectives and networks.

Main Focus of Research and Teaching

1. The contribution of Cooperative Sciences to: Economics, Social Sciences, Law, and Humanities / Social Capital / Governance Structures / Definition and Culture of Property / Civil Society / Sustainability and Business Ethics / Development Economics / Institutional Analysis

2. Position and Role of Cooperatives against the background of Global Changes / Enlargement of the European Union / System Change / in the Development of Urban and Rural Areas / in the European Federalism / in the Multi-Tier-Governance Debate

3. Future Questions in the Structural Change of the German and European cooperative branches / Efficieny Comparisons / Evaluations / Ammendments / Adaption to International and European Standards / Effect Analysis / Prospects for Structural Change of different Cooperative Branches

Prof. Dr. Markus Hanisch

Member of the academic advisory board of the IfG
Luisenstr. 53
D-10099 Berlin

Phone: +49 (0)30 2093 6505

Fax: +49 (0)30 2093 6501

E-mail: hanischm (at) rz.hu-berlin.de

Consultation Hours: Every Thursday from 1 pm to 5 pm
Please make an appointment in advance!