The question of what societies from early history to the present day need in order to emerge, maintain and change is the focus of a new cultural studies research network at the University of Tübingen. The aim is to research how different societies define, evaluate, acquire and use resources. Since 2013, more than 60 scientists from around twelve scientific disciplines have been working on these questions in more than 20 projects with unprecedented historical depth and geographical breadth. The aim is to develop models that make the connection between cultural ideas and values, material and immaterial means (resources) and social developments visible over long periods of time and great distances. The SFB 1070 is already being funded by the German Research Foundation in the third of three possible funding periods of four years each. Archaeologists, social and cultural anthropologists, geographers, historians, classical philologists, economic historians and empirical cultural researchers want to clarify how something becomes a resource for social development and what social dynamics are triggered by the need for and use of these resources. They start from the observation that societies in different times and places have designed their very own ideas of what is of particular value for their coexistence.
