The IGZA's new book will be published for the 2025 Book Fair in Frankfurt:
From war capability to peace capability
Analyses and materials on the history and future of war and peace
J.H.W. Dietz Verlag, 307 pages, 22 euros
The book will be available in stores from 15 October 2025.
On 30 October 2025, the Karl Marx House in Trier the opening of the 'Matrix of Labour' exhibition.
The Institute for the History and Future of Labour presents structures and content on the history and future of work as part of its travelling exhibition. The exhibition provides insights into the history and future of labour on timelines and in-depth exhibition elements. essential epochs the history of labour, the development of Labour productivity, i.e. the expanding productive and destructive forces of labour, to the Standard of living and to the The future of work in the 21st century. The 'big picture' ranges from the age of the wild boar to the future opportunities for transforming our financial capitalist economy into a sustainable, solidarity-based market economy with freedom and prosperity for all.
Programme:
18.00 Greeting by Jürgen Schmidt, Karl Marx House
18.05 Lecture - Cornelius Markert (IGZA): Intention and goals of the matrix of work
18.25 Panel discussion - The future of work in times of artificial intelligence, automation and demographic change
It discusses:
19.30 Opening of the exhibition
19.40 Snack bar
The event is open to the public and free of charge. For organisational reasons, please register by 27.10.2025. You can register at https://www.fes.de/lnk/matrix
Venue: Administration Karl-Marx-Haus, Brückenstraße 5, 54290 Trier
Contact person: Jürgen Schmidt, Juergen.Schmidt∂fes.de, Tel.: 0651 / 970 68-0
Flyer: Exhibition opening: Matrix of Labour - History and Future of Work
The IGZA participates in the LABOR.A 2025 with a special virtual exhibition. The main theme of this year's LABOR.A, »Justice«, is closely linked to the content of the IGZA project "Matrix of Labour". Participation and co-determination are democracy in action and elementary prerequisites for good work. The IGZA exhibition offers both a 'broad view' of the long lines of change in labour as well as the topic of justice, with a focus on good work and qualification.
The special exhibition has been online since today and can be accessed via the IGZA website until 31 March 2026.
The current issue of the spw - Journal for socialist politics and economics (issue 262) contains a detailed review of our books on the Matrix of work. The reviewer is Thilo Scholle. He praises the books' central approach of thinking about labour not only in economic terms, but also in interdisciplinary terms, placing it in historical contexts and highlighting framework conditions and alternatives for the future.
The review offers a differentiated examination of the content and invites further discussion. We appreciate the interest and critical reception!
To the review: https://www.spw.de/spw-relaunch/die-matrix-der-arbeit/
From 30 October 2025, the travelling exhibition on the 'Matrix of Work' will be on show in Trier, in the Karl Marx House. Further information on the exhibition and the opening will follow.
You can already download the digital version of the exhibition here on our website and move virtually through the various 'rooms' of the exhibition. The virtual exhibition is constantly being updated.
Links to the Karl Marx House:
General information
Permanent exhibition
Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
Museum Karl Marx House
Brückenstr. 10, 54290 Trier
The IGZA working paper 'Germany 2070: Labour market, demographics and productivity' is now online.
In this paper we analyse the effects of the demographic change ahead in Germany in 2070 (baseline scenario) and assess the impact of various labour market factors on the future standard of living.
On this basis we develop the thesis that employment security, digitalisation, competitiveness and increasing prosperity can be combined - on the basis of innovation and automation, decent work, higher labour force participation and targeted immigration.
The current volume 64 of the Archiv für Sozialgeschichte (2024) contains a very well-founded and readable review by Jürgen Kocka on the matrix of labour.
Long-term history of labour and its productivity
Review essay on: IGZA (ed.), Matrix der Arbeit. Materials on the history and future of labour
Jürgen Kocka | 455-464
On 30 October, at the invitation of the Institute for Employment Research (IAB) and the Federal Employment Agency, Marc Amlinger and Cornelius Markert spoke at the IAB Colloquium event series presented the IGZA working paper #5 - Germany 2070: Labour market, demography and productivity.
Together with Andrea Nahles (Chairwoman of the BA Executive Board), Prof Bernd Fitzenberger (Director of the IAB) and other labour market experts discussed the central theses of the IGZA paper.
The working paper presents scenarios that can be used to cope with demographic change. The decisive contribution to the solution can only result from an increase in labour productivity. The conditions for a socio-ecologically sustainable innovation and productivity initiative are therefore outlined.
The working paper is freely available for download: IGZA Working Paper #5
The colloquium was followed by the opening of the Travelling exhibition on the Labour Matrix at the premises of the Federal Employment Agency by Andrea Nahles and the IGZA.
The Travelling exhibition of the IGZA is from 30.10. to 27.11.2024 on the premises of the Federal Employment Agency in Nuremberg as a guest.
Federal Employment Agency
Regensburger Str. 104
90478 Nuremberg
On 22 October, the IGZA was invited by the Fritz Hüser Institute for Literature and Culture of the Working World (Dortmund) and the History of the Ruhr Foundation (Bochum) at the Haus der Geschichte. Dr Cornelius Markert will present the matrix of the work as part of the „Erlesenes“ series.
Book presentation as part of the „Erlesenes“ series“
Matrix of labour. Lecture and discussion with Cornelius Markert
22 October 2024, 6 pm
Moderation: Arnold Maxwill, Fritz Hüser Institute
House of the History of the Ruhr Area
Library of the Ruhr Area
Clemensstr. 17-19
44789 Bochum
Free admission, no registration required.
House of the History of the Ruhr: Announcement
(last accessed: 15.10.2024)