Working Group
“Social-Science Water Research”
The Working Group on Social-Science Water Research investigates the economic, political, social, and legal dimensions of water use and management, addressing both risks and opportunities. Its mission is to advance the contribution of social sciences towards sustainable, integrated, and adaptive water resources management in the context of global change. The group's work is structured around three core areas:
- Understanding hydrological risks: Enhancing knowledge of drought, water scarcity, and flood risks to inform policy and management.
- Adapting water services and infrastructure: Developing strategies for water service provision and infrastructure adaptation in response to demographic, climatic, and societal changes.
- Achieving good water status: Supporting the implementation of the EU Water Framework Directive to ensure water bodies meet environmental standards.
Areas of expertise
(i) Evaluation and monitoring
- Assessment of drought and flood impacts based on text data.
- Risk, impact, and vulnerability assessments for extreme hydrological events, particularly floods and droughts.
- Environmental valuation and integrated assessment of alternative management options.
(ii) Economic and regulatory instruments
- Assessment of pricing mechanisms for water supply and sanitation regarding economic efficiency, social acceptability, and financial sustainability.
- Analysis of economic and regulatory measures for reducing pollution from both point and non-point sources.
(iii) Governance and institutional analysis
- Design and evaluation of planning processes for water management, especially related to droughts.
- Examination of transboundary and local water conflicts and the conditions that foster cooperation.
- Analysis of institutional frameworks for Integrated Water Resources Management (IWRM).
- Comparative analysis of multi-level water governance, focusing on the development and implementation of water law at EU, national, and regional levels.
Format
We meet monthly to discuss ongoing research, emerging issues, and collaborative opportunities. These meetings provide a platform to exchange ideas and advance the group’s collective expertise. If you are interested in presenting your work or participating in our discussions, please feel free to contact the group’s speakers. We welcome new perspectives and collaborations that can enrich our understanding of water management challenges and solutions.
Members of the Working Group:
Dr. Mariana Madruga de Brito, Edward Digman, Prof. Dr. Erik Gawel, Dr. Sungju Han, Prof. Dr. Bernd Hansjürgens, Jasmin Heilemann, Christian Klassert, Prof. Dr. Bernd Klauer, Felix Klickermann, Prof. Dr. Wolfgang Köck, Prof. Dr. Christian Kuhlicke, Prof. Dr. Paul Lehmann, Dr. Stefan Möckel, Sruti Modekurty, Mansi Nagpal, Dr. Moritz Reese, Dr. Johannes Schiller, Prof. Dr. Reimund Schwarze, Jan Sodoge, Yuanzao Zhu, Heinrich Zozmann