Paul Burger, Prof. Dr. phil.

Paul.Burger-at-unibas.ch
 

Head of the Program Sustainability Research
Professor for the socio-cultural domain within the interdisciplinary Master Program in Sustainable Development

CV

Born 1956, initially trained as a technician, he studied philosophy and history (doctorate 1992, habilitation 1997), was scientific assistant for philosophy in Basel und Luzern, SNF-research fellow, lecturer at the universities of St. Gallen, Fribourg, Innsbruck, Maribor, and from 1998-2005 head of the interfaculty teaching program People Society Environment at the University of Basel; since 2006 he has been in charge of the Program Sustainability Research; he also represents the University of Basel in the organising committee of the biannual EUCOR summer-university in sustainability science, and is Co-Chairman of the International Sustainability Conference (ISC).

Research and Teaching Interests
Among his research interests are theoretical foundations for sustainability, values and evaluation (especially within sustainability issues), human-nature-interrelations, ontology of systems, social theories and sustainability, epistemology and methodology of future studies and of inter- & transdisciplinary research.

Currently offered themes for Master theses at the Program sustainability research [PDF [PDF/78 KB]]

Current projects

  • Soziologie in der Nachhaltigkeitsforschung. Auf dem Weg zur Koevolutionswissenschaft (Sociology in sustainability research; Habilitationsprojekt Jens Jetzkowitz, Uni Lüneburg)
  • Wissen als Gut. Ein Beitrag zur Grundlegung der sozialen Erkenntnistheorie (Knowledge as a good. A contribution to social epistemology, Diss. Rainer Kamber).
  • Biophysische Welt und Autonomie des Sozialen [PDF [PDF/78 KB]]
  • Axiologie und Nachhaltige Entwicklung (Axiology and Sustainable Development, Diss. Marius Christen).
  • Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung von Sanitation-Projekten in indischen Kleinstädten (Sustainability Assessement of sanitation projects in India, Masterarbeit Carole Küng).

Selected Publications

  • Burger, Paul (2007): "Nachhaltigkeitstheorie als Gesellschaftstheorie. Ein philosophisches Plädoyer", erscheint in: Nachhaltigkeitsforschung – Perspektiven der Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften, hrsg. von der Schweiz. Akademie für Geistes- und Sozialwissenschaften, Bern, S. 13-34.
  • Burger, Paul (2007): "Zur Rolle von Umwelt- resp. Nachhaltigkeitswissenschaften in der Gesellschaft", erscheint in: Allgemeine Forstzeitschrift für Waldwirtschaft und Umweltvorsorge.
  • Zierhofer, Wolfgang & Burger, Paul (2007): "Transdisziplinäre Forschung – ein eigenständiger Modus der Wissensproduktion? Problemorientierung, Wissensintegration und Partizipation in transdisziplinären Forschungsprojekten", in: Gaia 1/2007, 29-34.
  • Burger, Paul & Zierhofer, Wolfgang (2005): "On the reliability of formative scenario analysis. Some epistemological reflections", in: Proceedings Papers Symposium on Transdisciplinary Case Study Research for Sustainable Development, 11th Annual International Sustainable Development Research Conference Helsinki 2005, hrsg. von A. Wiek, 72-83.
  • Burger, Paul & Kamber, Rainer (2003): "Cognitive Integration in Transdisciplinary Science: Knowledge as a Key Notion", in: Issues in Integrative Studies, No 21 (2003), 43-73.
  • Burger, Paul (2001): "Erkenntnistheoretische und ontologische Aspekte gelingender Voraussicht", in: Studia Philosophica vol. 60 (2001), 193-213.