Key Event
The first workshop of the ESF Scientific Forward Looks in the Social Sciences was held from 3 to 7 April in Menaggio (Italy) to debate on Cultural Diversity, Collective Identity and Collective Action, and other issues emerging alongside the progressively intensifying processes of the opening up of national borders in Europe. About 40 leading scholars from across Europe and USA, as well as policy makers and practitioners, attempted to identify challenges that social, psychological, political, cultural and economic phenomena associated with mobility and migration provide for social research, and to suggest how they can be dealt with within a medium-term and long-term high quality perspectives in relevant areas of European science.
Future Directions
A news release was issued shortly after the meeting giving more details on the issues discussed and possible future directions of this Forward Look. In considering the strategic course of action to fill the gaps identified during the meeting, a consensus was reached among participants that a long-running scientific programme would be needed. A follow-up report (revised version) was subsequently compiled by Dr. Okrasa, head of the ESF Social Sciences Unit, to synthesise the results of the discussion and further led to a final report of the workshop in order to develop an agenda for the future of this initiative.
