The Centre for Security and Society (CSS) is a transdisciplinary centre that focuses the University of Freiburg's research efforts in the field of technological, informatical, juridical, sociological, ethical and political security research.
Based on an already successful collaboration between several institutions and disciplines at the university, the CSS was founded in 2009 in order to drive forward progress on civil security research further. Its members come from five faculties: the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Humanities, the Faculty of Language and Literature, the Faculty of Economics and Behavioural Sciences and the Faculty of Engineering. Its current Executive Director is Prof. Dr. Hans-Helmuth Gander. Numerous research projects, publications and outreach activities, as well as some € 10 million third-party funding since its foundation, have made the CSS a leading player in European Security Research.
Research Areas
Civil Security has become a contested theme for the general public. In particular, topics such as the possibilities, risks and ambivalences of modern technologies; insecurities in the face of global economic, social and political upheavals, resulting in new forms of transnational terrorism and crime; and, not least, challenges arising from the digital revolution in the field of security, are ones on the focus of attention in public debates. CSS-based Projects and its Members' further research address topics from all these areas, often in the context of national and European research consortia.
Location
In recent years, Freiburg has firmly established itself regionally as well as globally as an excellent location for innovation in security research. On the basis of transdisciplinary collaboration with local institutes (Max-Planck-Institute for the Study of Crime, Security and Law, the Fraunhofer-Institute for High Speed Dynamics, and the Ernst-Mach-Institute) the CSS has successfully created ideal conditions for research integrating both technological and societal perspectives.
