Launch event of the IGZA

13 October 2016, in Berlin
Event organised by the IGZA

The social and political significance of work has grown due to digitalisation, automation, new forms of work and companies, new opportunities and new risks. In contrast, the university landscape of labour sciences has been further thinned out.

The newly founded Institute for the History and Future of Labour (IGZA) is intended to contribute to the revitalisation of labour research. At the same time, we want to take up the new approaches of global historiography. The Institute will conduct its own research projects, award scholarships, offer guest residencies at both locations in Berlin and Lake Constance, organise conferences and workshops and contribute to the public debate on the future of work. It is run by the non-profit organisation „Stiftung Institut für die Geschichte

and the future of work“, founded by Horst Neumann, who spent his first half of his career in the economic department of IG Metall and his second as labour director at Thyssen, Audi and VW.

The event will take place on the premises of the internet company MovingIMAGE24, which was founded by our Chairman of the Board of Trustees Dr Rainer Zugehör in 2004. The social historian Prof Dr Jürgen Kocka will first give a fundamental lecture on the „The history and future of labour“ hold. In a round with Jürgen Kocka, Jörg Hofmann and Andrea Nahles The questions raised about the history and future of work are then discussed. Finally, the IGZA will present the results of an initial survey on „Work in the course of life“.