Hamburg Institute for Social Research (HIS)

The Hamburg Institute for Social Research (HIS) was established in 1984 by Jan Philipp Reemtsma. It is located near the University of Hamburg; this proximity and close contact with public academic institutions are very important to us. The hallmarks of our Institute are its broad openness to a variety of themes and a distinctive range of services for the interested public. This includes the Library, which is open to the public, and the Archives, which house holdings that are unique in Germany, including a special collection on "Protest". The Press and Public Affairs Office is the first point of contact for the interested public.

The centerpiece of the Institute’s activities, however, is research. Research at the Institute is committed to dialogue in the humanities, in particular, and is not restricted to one academic discipline. Scholars from the humanities and social sciences work together under one roof on projects in empirical social research, historical analysis, and theory-building in the social sciences. Transdisciplinary exchange and each scholar’s own field of interest form the basis for research. Individual research projects and a number of conferences and lectures are carried out in collaboration with other German and European institutions. The Institute receives outside funding for some of these projects. Scholars present their projects and research findings to the public in articles, books, conferences, lectures, lecture series, and exhibitions. Important forums for academic publications and debate are the Institute’s journal, Mittelweg 36, and the Hamburger Edition publishing company.

The Hamburg Institute for Social Research is an operating foundation under civil law. The direct purpose of the foundation is to initiate and conduct academic research projects as well as to organize conferences and workshops in the area of social research.