Zweckfrei nützlich: Wie die Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften regional wirksam werden: Fallstudie Sachsen-Anhalt

In: HoF-Arbeitsberichte 2013,3

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Abstract

Contributions to regional development made by the humanities and the social sciences typically resist estimation in quantitative terms. Yet from this it does not follow that their contributions are negligible. The investigation aims at rendering them visible in a concrete case, and therefore focusses on the State of Saxony-Anhalt (Germany). In a sociological outside perspective on the humanities and the social sciences, their present budget and structures, specific value added and demographic effects are discussed. Contributions to regional development which cannot be directly quantified are described in a qualitative manner; it is argued in favor of their non-negligibility. The most important of these are contributions to the enlightenment of society, to the conservation and development of the cultural heritage and to the minimization of great scale social risks. In a complementary perspective from within the humanities and social sciences, the traditional self-conception especially of the humanities - which traditionally take a sceptical stance toward imperatives of utility - is scanned for elements of potential regional relevance. (HoF/text adopted)