Research
Decode Complexity – Think Across Disciplines
Interdisciplinary Research for Complex Challenges
Background story: From Overachieving Student to Passionate Complexity Researcher and Consultant
Back in school, I never imagined I’d one day become a passionate researcher of complexity and interdisciplinary systems. But when I began studying socioeconomics at the University of Hamburg, I was driven by a deep curiosity to better understand life’s big philosophical, social, and cultural questions — and, in the process, myself.
What fascinated me even more, though, was discovering how seemingly unrelated disciplines interconnect — offering a richer perspective on complex systems and real-world challenges.
A turning point came in 2005, during my master’s program in Peace and Conflict Studies at the University of Marburg. In a seminar on the Cyprus conflict, we were divided into groups, each representing a different theoretical lens. At first, I assumed we’d be arguing our positions. But I soon realized: these perspectives didn’t compete — they complemented each other. The real value lay in combining them, not debating them.
That experience sparked a lifelong pursuit of questions like:
-
How can we integrate diverse academic and practical perspectives into coherent approaches?
-
What strategies help us deal with complexity and uncertainty?
-
And how can we design interdisciplinary communication processes that lead to greater collective intelligence — and better decisions?
Current Focus: Tackling Complex Problems, Building Multi-Resilience, and Advancing Peaceful Conflict Resolution
In an era marked by cascading global crises and intertwined challenges, these questions are more urgent than ever. Whether in research teams, think tanks, product development, or project management — people from diverse backgrounds must work together on increasingly complex tasks. What’s needed is clear: interdisciplinary thinking and effective communication. Yet, this remains an underexplored field — both in theory and practice.
In my PhD thesis “Integrated Conflict Transformation in Dialogue” (2011, summa cum laude), I developed a cross-disciplinary framework for analyzing and resolving conflicts. Today, my research explores how communication within interdisciplinary teams can be improved — to enable better decisions, stronger solutions, and more resilient outcomes. These insights are shared in my books “Kommunikative Komplexitätsbewältigung“ (“Communicative Complexity Management”) and “Multi-Resilience – Development – Sustainability: Requirements for Securing the Future of Societies in the 21st Century”.
From 2019 to 2023, I was a member of the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research’s (BMBF) “Future Circle,” where we explored scenarios for Germany’s and Europe’s future and developed multi-resilient strategies to navigate deep uncertainty. You can find recent trend studies here: Zukunft von Werten (The Future of Values) und Zukunftsthemen (Emerging Issues).
Building on this foundation, I now support teams and organizations in academia, policy, and civil society in navigating complex societal issues and developing sustainable resilience strategies — through inter- and transdisciplinary approaches.
Since 2022, I have expanded my research into the realm of international relations, with a particular focus on current conflicts such as the Russia–Ukraine war and the emerging dynamics of a ”New Cold War”. At the heart of my inquiry lies one key question:
How can we break free from the global prisoner’s dilemma?
The answer, I believe, lies in the power of communication and collective intelligence.
My work explores how interdisciplinary communication and collaborative thinking can unlock new pathways to cooperation and peaceful conflict resolution — turning complexity into an opportunity for sustainable peace and multi-resilient communities.
My research topics at a glance
Empathy 3.0 — Balancing Resilience and Genuine Connection
Empathy is one of today’s most debated skills. In our increasingly interconnected world, it’s essential for understanding the impact of business and political decisions—and for acting responsibly. Yet empathy also carries risks: emotional contagion can spread uncontrollably and rapidly, especially through social media. With rising stress levels and information overload, some researchers even view empathy as a liability—and call for its restraint.
But do authentic empathy and resilience against digital resonance disasters and stress really have to be at odds? If not, how can we define and cultivate this evolved form of empathy?
The answer lies in Empathy 3.0: an innate, universal skill grounded in mindfulness, inner balance, and emotional wisdom. It’s a cornerstone of my coaching and consulting approach. You can explore this concept in depth in my guidebook, “Das Empathietraining“ (The Empathy Training).
Multi-Resilience — Protecting Ourselves Effectively Against a Spectrum of Crises
In today’s world, where organizations and societies face a multitude of simultaneous crises, resilience is often touted as the universal solution. But what does resilience truly mean for collective systems — like organizations or entire societies — when confronting diverse and unpredictable challenges such as financial crashes, natural disasters, cyberterrorism, disruptive market shifts, the COVID-19 pandemic, or international conflicts?
From a research standpoint, it’s clear: these questions demand an interdisciplinary approach. My work focuses on the opportunities and limits of a transdisciplinary resilience concept and its practical relevance for crisis-proof organizations and societies.
Drawing on insights from Systems Thinking and Integrative Thinking, I have developed five core pillars that guide how organizations and societies can build multi-resilience — the capacity to respond flexibly and effectively to multiple, simultaneous challenges.
For a deeper dive into these ideas, see my book “Multi-Resilience – Development – Sustainability: Requirements for Securing the Future of Societies in the 21st Century”.
How Communication Helps Us Navigate Complexity
In today’s world, experts and decision-makers from civil society, business, academia, and politics increasingly come together to tackle complex challenges. Whether it’s in research groups, think tanks, high-performance teams, conferences, or multi-stakeholder dialogues – collaboration across disciplines is the norm.
But that collaboration brings more than just cognitive demands – it’s a real communication challenge.
How can a sociologist, an architect, and an engineer working on research project about the future of urban life truly understand each other?
The answer to this question holds the key to unlocking new insights and making better decisions in many areas of life and work.
That’s because a team or organization’s ability to solve problems is directly linked to the quality of its communication.
For deeper insights, take a look at my publication: “Kommunikative Komplexitätsbewältigung“ (“Communicative Complexity Management”).
Rethinking Peace and Security in Times of Global Conflict
Current high-stakes territorial conflicts – such as the war between Russia and Ukraine – reflect deeper global dynamics. They are closely tied to the emergence of a new Cold War and reveal a global “prisoner’s dilemma” that prevents humanity from advancing much-needed reforms of the United Nations and building a future-ready system of global governance.
In my research, I apply a multiparadigmatic approach to analyze these interconnections – bridging traditional divides between security-based realism and peace-oriented pacifism.
My goal: to expand the field of peace and conflict research and open up new avenues for peaceful conflict resolution and multilateral cooperation.
I explore these complex challenges in greater depth in my latest publication, which goes beyond this specific conflict to examine broader opportunities and barriers to a sustainable global peace and security architecture.
INQUIRE NOW…