5
1.3 The Interdisciplinary Research Tradition of the BerlinBrandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities provides an optimal
stage for such integrated and interdisciplinary research endeavours. Since 1994,
more than 70 Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRG) have been established there,
becoming an out of the ordinary work concept within German research landscape.
The general objective of the IRGs is to seize on topics of high scientifi c and societal
relevance, to conduct research on questions of future importance and to initiate a
dialogue between science and society. In all of these projects, close relations
between members of the Academy and researchers from different national and
international research institutions have developed. Another important objective of
the Academy is to provide knowledge-based advice for the society and for politics.
In 2011, based on an initiative of Reinhard Hüttl and Oliver Bens, the IRG
Society – Water – Technology was established for a term of 3 years. The idea of this
IRG, whose members and associates form the group of authors of this book, fi ts
perfectly into this tradition.
1.4 Aims and Working Structure of the Interdisciplinary
Research Group Society – Water – Technology
The overarching aim of the IRG was to comprehensively describe the framework
conditions of major water engineering projects and to analyse their impact on the
ecology, economy and society. Based on its analyses and fi ndings, policy recommendations are formulated and research gaps are pointed out. In order to accomplish this, it was necessary to identify those mechanisms that are necessary for the
functional continuity of MWEPs – i.e. for their successful and socially acceptable
construction – their continuing operation and their adaptation to the targeted conceptual implementation of strategies. The analysis of MWEPs and their impacts and
benefi ts has considered possible future development trends on the basis of present
situations and also on the basis of historical reviews. This was accomplished by
closely scrutinising two representative case studies: the Fergana Valley in Central
Asia and the Lower Jordan Basin in the Middle East.
In the Fergana Valley, the main object of research were the impacts of the construction of a huge irrigation system during the former Soviet period and its effects
on present societies and economies as well as on ecosystems along the downstream
parts of the big rivers. Thus, the Fergana Valley case study was essential for the
development of a common interdisciplinary research methodology and for studying
the concept of “path dependencies”.
The second case study in the Lower Jordan Basin dealt with the planned Red
Sea – Dead Sea Conveyance Project to halt the further decline of the Dead Sea water
level resulting from extensive water extraction from the Jordan River. This case
1 Introduction: A Critical Appraisal of Major Water Engineering Projects…
1.3 The Interdisciplinary Research Tradition of the BerlinBrandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
The Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities provides an optimal
stage for such integrated and interdisciplinary research endeavours. Since 1994,
more than 70 Interdisciplinary Research Groups (IRG) have been established there,
becoming an out of the ordinary work concept within German research landscape.
The general objective of the IRGs is to seize on topics of high scientifi c and societal
relevance, to conduct research on questions of future importance and to initiate a
dialogue between science and society. In all of these projects, close relations
between members of the Academy and researchers from different national and
international research institutions have developed. Another important objective of
the Academy is to provide knowledge-based advice for the society and for politics.
In 2011, based on an initiative of Reinhard Hüttl and Oliver Bens, the IRG
Society – Water – Technology was established for a term of 3 years. The idea of this
IRG, whose members and associates form the group of authors of this book, fi ts
perfectly into this tradition.
1.4 Aims and Working Structure of the Interdisciplinary
Research Group Society – Water – Technology
The overarching aim of the IRG was to comprehensively describe the framework
conditions of major water engineering projects and to analyse their impact on the
ecology, economy and society. Based on its analyses and fi ndings, policy recommendations are formulated and research gaps are pointed out. In order to accomplish this, it was necessary to identify those mechanisms that are necessary for the
functional continuity of MWEPs – i.e. for their successful and socially acceptable
construction – their continuing operation and their adaptation to the targeted conceptual implementation of strategies. The analysis of MWEPs and their impacts and
benefi ts has considered possible future development trends on the basis of present
situations and also on the basis of historical reviews. This was accomplished by
closely scrutinising two representative case studies: the Fergana Valley in Central
Asia and the Lower Jordan Basin in the Middle East.
In the Fergana Valley, the main object of research were the impacts of the construction of a huge irrigation system during the former Soviet period and its effects
on present societies and economies as well as on ecosystems along the downstream
parts of the big rivers. Thus, the Fergana Valley case study was essential for the
development of a common interdisciplinary research methodology and for studying
the concept of “path dependencies”.
The second case study in the Lower Jordan Basin dealt with the planned Red
Sea – Dead Sea Conveyance Project to halt the further decline of the Dead Sea water
level resulting from extensive water extraction from the Jordan River. This case
1 Introduction: A Critical Appraisal of Major Water Engineering Projects…