Professor Rafael Reuveny | Photo: Indiana University

10.05.2018 | On 17 May at 7 pm, political scientist Dr. Rafael Reuveny will give a lecture at Universum® Bremen on the decline of early societies. Professor Reuveny teaches and conducts research at Indiana University in Bloomington, USA. He is an expert on international political economy, sustainable development and the political economy of the Middle East.

Many early societies, such as the indigenous peoples of the Easter Islands, are characterised by a shift between the upsurge and decline of their populations and resources, which ultimately ends in their collapse.

One reason for this is the overuse or destruction of resources. It is often attempted to counter this development with optimized resource management and technical innovations. Using models, Dr. Reuveny simulates the effect of such measures. During his lecture he will discuss his findings and examine ways of averting a potential crisis for humanity.

In its series BEST ("Bremen Earth and Social Science Talks"), ZMT invites internationally renowned scientists to Bremen and offers them a forum to present their latest results and creative approaches and give an outlook on future developments. The aim of the lecture series is to provide food for thought and generate discussions on a wide range of topics at the interfaces of the natural and social sciences.

Title: "Historical Social Collapse"
by Dr. Rafael Reuveny, Professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in the USA
Date: Thursday, 17. May 2018
Time: 19:00 - 20:30 o'clock
Location: Universum® Bremen, Wiener Str. 1a, 28359 Bremen

About Dr. Reuveny:
Israeli scientist Rafael Reuveny is an expert in international political economy and sustainable development. His research deals with the collapse of early societies, migration in the context of climate change and the causes of collective violence. Dr. Rafael Reuveny is Professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs at Indiana University in the USA. He has received numerous awards for his research and teaching, such as the "Award of Excellence in World Society Research, Zurich".

Panel discussion:  Ms. Johanna Wehkamp, Mercator Research Institute (MCC), Berlin

Moderation: Prof. Dr. Agostino Merico, Systems Ecology (ZMT)