The dispute over structural change: Resistance to transformation
09/29/2026A public online lecture series will explore conflicts arising from transformation. It begins on Tuesday 13 October; attendance is free of charge.
The transition away from coal and oil is proving difficult: the shift towards a society that can manage without fossil fuels is repeatedly meeting with resistance. Members of the public are protesting against wind farms and power lines. Parties that deny climate change are gaining support.
This shows that the socio-ecological transformation is by no means a foregone conclusion. It involves conflict and political compromise. The online lectures in a new series focusing on conflicts arising from this transformation will address these points of friction and possible solutions (in German language).
The series begins on Tuesday, 13 October 2026. It is open to the public via Zoom and free of charge for all. It takes as its starting point the German lignite-mining regions in Lusatia, Central Germany and the Rhineland, but the experiences from these areas can also provide inspiration for other regions.
Some highlights of the lecture series:
- Affordable housing is in short supply in many cities. Valentin Domann will address the environmental dimension of conflicts over housing provision.
- The contribution by Professor Markus Leibenath and Svenja Bochinski centres on conflicts regarding sustainability and public participation in large-scale urban expansion projects.
- Professor Silja Klepp will discuss how the environmental justice approach can provide guidance for resolving transformation conflicts.
Organisers
The lecture series is a joint project between the University of Würzburg, RWTH Aachen University, the Brandenburg University of Technology Cottbus-Senftenberg, the University of Halle-Wittenberg and the Federal Institute for Research on Building, Urban Affairs and Spatial Development (BBSR) in Cottbus. Professor Matthias Naumann , Head of the JMU Chair of Human Geography, is also taking part.
Programme
Topics and link for online participation :
for the lecture series ‘Conflicts of Transformation: Academic and Applied Perspectives on Structural Change and Transformation’
