Bund Demokratischer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler

The Bund Demokratischer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler (BdWi) is a German voluntary association of scholars, founded in 1968 on the initiative of sociologist Werner Hofmann and political scientist Wolfgang Abendroth. Among its founding fathers were also educationist Wolfgang Klafki, jurist Helmut Ridder, rhetorician Walter Jens, and philosopher Jürgen Habermas. Originally named Bund demokratischer Wissenschaftler, it was reconstituted in Marburg in July 1972 and has been registered as an association (e.V.) at the Marburg local court since 1974. The BdWi is based in Marburg and has over a thousand members from the natural sciences, humanities, and social sciences, according to its own statements. It describes itself as a solidarity alliance of left-oriented university teachers and has been open to student members since the 1990s. The association's goals include formulating the democratic mission of science, promoting democratic participation of all university members in self-administration, research, and teaching, and defending scientists against discriminatory measures for political reasons (such as the Radikalenerlass). It takes public positions on questions of science, research, and higher education development through congresses, seminars, scientific publications, and political statements. It was an official co-supporter of the surveillance-critical data protection demonstration "Freiheit statt Angst." Together with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, it annually organizes a multi-day autumn academy at the Bildungsstätte Werftpfuhl, supported by other organizations; until 2012, the Helle Panke association was also involved. The BdWi is a member of the Kooperation für den Frieden. The BdWi publishes the quarterly journal Forum Wissenschaft, which has been published since June 1984 and cooperates with Linksnet; it also serves as the members' magazine. The association's own BdWi-Verlag was founded in 1993 and publishes socially and scientifically critical works, including publications by Reinhard Opitz, Eberhard Rebling and Lin Jaldati, Rainer Rilling, and Ulrike Beisiegel. Since 1990, the Forschungs- und Informationsstelle beim BdWi e. V. (FIB) has been established as an independent scientific institute within the BdWi, with non-profit status, working on North-South conflict, ecology, risk and research/technology policy, racism, and media/public communication. The BdWi is organized as a registered association. Its highest body is the annual members' meeting, which decides on political guidelines, adopts the budget, and elects the political management and board every two years. The board currently consists of Mareike Strauß, Anja Zürn, Sandro Philippi, and Daniel Gaittet. The association has a managing director (Steffen Käthner) and a political managing director (Christiane Fuchs). A gender-quota advisory council of twelve to twenty persons advises the association on long-term development and current issues. The BdWi maintains a website at bdwi.de, where it publishes news, positions, and event announcements.

The Bund Demokratischer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftler (BdWi) was founded in 1968 on the initiative of sociologist Werner Hofmann and political scientist Wolfgang Abendroth. Among the founding fathers were also educationist Wolfgang Klafki, jurist Helmut Ridder, rhetorician Walter Jens, and philosopher Jürgen Habermas. At the time, the founders were mostly younger male full professors, primarily from the humanities. The association was initially named Bund demokratischer Wissenschaftler. In July 1972, it was reconstituted in Marburg. At this reconstitution, the BdWi spoke out against the Radikalenerlass (Radicals Decree) of February 1972, which provided for the review of the constitutional loyalty of applicants and members of the public service. Since 1974, the association has been registered as a registered association (e.V.) at the Marburg local court. In 1968, the BdWi was in tendency a solidarity alliance of left-oriented university teachers who wanted to form a higher education policy counterweight to the authors of the Marburg Manifesto (April 1968) and the Bund Freiheit der Wissenschaft (founded in 1970). Since the 1990s, students can also become members of the BdWi. The association has taken public positions on questions of science, research, and higher education development through congresses and seminars as well as in scientific publications and political statements. It was an official co-supporter of the surveillance-critical data protection demonstration "Freiheit statt Angst." Together with the Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, the association annually organizes a multi-day autumn academy at the Bildungsstätte Werftpfuhl, which is supported by other organizations; until 2012, the Helle Panke association was also involved. The BdWi is a member of the Kooperation für den Frieden. In June 1984, the BdWi began publishing the quarterly journal Forum Wissenschaft, which cooperates with Linksnet and serves as the members' magazine. The association's own BdWi-Verlag was founded in 1993 and continues earlier publications by the BdWi. It publishes socially and scientifically critical works, including publications by Reinhard Opitz, Eberhard Rebling and Lin Jaldati, Rainer Rilling, and Ulrike Beisiegel. Since 1990, the Forschungs- und Informationsstelle beim BdWi e. V. (FIB) has been established as an independent scientific institute within the BdWi. It has the legal form of a registered association and is non-profit. Its working fields include North-South conflict / international understanding, ecology, risk / research and technology policy, racism, and media, public sphere, and communication. The BdWi is organized as a registered association. Its highest body is the annual members' meeting, which decides on the political guidelines of the association, adopts the budget, and elects and discharges the political management and the board every two years. The board currently consists of Mareike Strauß, Anja Zürn, Sandro Philippi, and Daniel Gaittet. The association has a managing director (Steffen Käthner) and a political managing director (Christiane Fuchs). A gender-quota advisory council of twelve to twenty persons is established at the BdWi and has the statutory task of commenting on the long-term development of the association and current issues and advising the association in scientific and political respects. In 2018, the book "Gegen den Strom schwimmen. 50 Jahre BdWi" edited by Thorsten Bultmann and Steffen Käthner was published in Marburg, marking the association's 50th anniversary.

• 2018

  50th anniversary; book 'Gegen den Strom schwimmen. 50 Jahre BdWi' published.

• 1993

  BdWi-Verlag founded.

• 1990

  Forschungs- und Informationsstelle beim BdWi e. V. (FIB) established.

• 1984

  Began publishing the quarterly journal Forum Wissenschaft.

• 1974

  Registered as an association (e.V.) at the Marburg local court.

• 1972

  Reconstituted in Marburg; spoke out against the Radikalenerlass.

• 1968

  Founded on the initiative of Werner Hofmann and Wolfgang Abendroth.

A left-oriented, emancipatory science and education policy association, acting as a counterweight to conservative academic organizations.

• Forum Wissenschaft

  Quarterly journal published since June 1984, cooperates with Linksnet, serves as members' magazine.

• BdWi-Verlag

  Publishing house founded in 1993, publishes socially and scientifically critical works.

• FIB e.V.

  Research and information center established in 1990, non-profit, works on North-South conflict, ecology, risk, racism, media.

• Freiheit statt Angst
• Herbstakademie

1. 1BdWi official websitebdwi.de
2. 2Wikidata entry for Bund Demokratischer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlerwikidata.org
3. 3German Wikipedia article on Bund demokratischer Wissenschaftlerinnen und Wissenschaftlerde.wikipedia.org