| Inhalt |
Part 1: Ageing and Longevity as a sociatal Challenge (Introductory course), tba Part 2: Ageing and Longevity as a sociatal Challenge (Summer School), tba The module addresses the current challenges of ageing societies, the potential of longevity as an international field of research, and the the technical, medical, economic, political, and ethical limits of what is yet feasible. Its objective is to contextualize key developments and future scenarios within a scientific framework, to develop practice-oriented methods for addressing complex future challenges, and to critically assess and reflect upon current debates. Part 1: Six weeks prior to the start of the Summer School, students convene for an online preparatory meeting. During this session, interdisciplinary teams are formed, project ideas are developed, and initial research activities are initiated. The projects address, among other topics, the biological and medical foundations of ageing, social inequalities, ethical boundary questions, religious interpretations of finitude, cultural representations of ageing, as well as the risks and governance challenges associated with emerging longevity technologies. Students are given access to selected literature, videos, and podcasts via an online platform, enabling them to review and analyze relevant materials in preparation for defining the focus of their working groups. From the preparatory meeting onward, the teams are supported by the Summer School instructors, who provide methodological guidance and facilitate interdisciplinary exchange. Part 2: The Summer School is designed as a five-day, interdisciplinary teaching and discourse format that brings together perspectives from the natural sciences, medicine, the humanities, and the social sciences on ageing, life extension, and longevity. Its aim is to systematically explore the biological, societal, ethical, cultural, and political dimensions of ageing and to critically reflect upon them through collaborative projects. The various disciplines are represented by national and international experts from their respective research fields. The Summer School as a whole is directed by Prof. Dr. Joel Rothman (Biology, Center for Aging and Longevity Studies, UCSB) and Dr. Michael Waltemathe (Theology, Faculty of Protestant Theology, RUB). |
