Uns erreichte eine Email von Thomas Risse, Carina Sprungk and Tanja A. Börzel, die auf die geplanten und z.T. bereits beschlossenen Kürzungen der Forschungsförderung in den Sozialwissenschaften und Humanities im 8. Rahmenprogramm der EU (2014-2020) aufmerksam machen und WissenschaftlerInnen der betroffenen Disziplinen dazu aufrufen, sich für den Erhalt der Finanzierung von sozial- und geisteswissenschaftlicher Forschung einzusetzen. Mitgeschickt haben die drei ein paar hilfreiche Argumente, warum EU-Forschungsförderung im Bereich der Sozial- und Geisteswissenschaften auch nach dem Jahr 2014 wichtig ist. Die Email im Wortlaut nach dem Klick:

Dear colleagues,

We would like to draw your attention to some alarming developments in
the preparations for the 8th Framework Programme. These include:

1. The downgrading of socio-economic and humanities research in DG
Research from a department to one single office (taking effect January
1, 2011).

2. The plan to abolish broader, long-term integrated projects and the
like in social sciences and humanities in the 8th Framework Programme.
Instead, a focus on „grand challenges“ with topics that are more
applied than basic research and are supposed to foster European
competitiveness on global markets (social science as an `auxiliary‘
discipline to be mainstreamed into the other sciences) .

3. The downsizing of funding for socio-economic and humanities
research projects in the 8th Framework Programme.

There is nothing we can do against the structural decision of DG
Research to down-grade social science and humanities. There is still
time to mobilize against its thematic and financial downsizing. Given
the decentralized structure of social sciences, concerted action is
difficult to organize. However, we suggest that you use the
connections and networks you have to disseminate the following
demands, both to EU and national policy-makers:

1. No downsizing of socio-economic and humanities research;
2. continuation of integrated projects and networks on both smaller
scale (1-3 Mio Euro) and larger scale (5-12 Mio Euro);
3. strengthening of social sciences in the Marie Curie Programme;
4. if grand challenges, they should focus on „social and cultural
cohesion“ of Europe instead only on innovation;
5. less focus on partnering with industry, rather focusing on public
sector and civil society.

Please find attached a `non-paper‘ on why it is important to
strengthen social science research beyond 2014.

Feel free to forward this email to other colleagues.

Thomas Risse, Carina Sprungk and Tanja A. Börzel