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Money and Society

ATM machine recessed into a dark brick wall bathed in purple light. Above it, a multicolored neon sign spells “ATM” inside an oval. The ATM’s screen displays a software interface; below it are a card slot, keypad and cash dispenser. Graffiti tags appear on the machine’s metal frame.
Foto von Mirza Babic auf Unsplash

Societies have developed money as a computational unit in order to denote common value. But money is not just an economic means of payment. It is also a form of symbolic communication with which societal relationships are negotiated: What is worth how much to whom? Who can give something up, who gets a little more? Does our money still correspond to the things we as a society collectively value? When money is discussed and allocated, views, opinions, and values become evident.

However, though money affects every single person, it remains a black box for many. The practices and contexts underlying the distribution and flow of money as well as interest and inflation are often insufficiently explained. Knowledge about money (or the lack thereof) is an example of the general uncoupling within public perception of economic structures from the developments of civil society and culture. Economic relationships are often seen as something separated from society. This is particularly significant given the current transition from cash to digital money which is part of a profound renegotiation of the power dynamic between the public and private sectors. Society is at a historic crossroads. It can choose to enable or to hinder changes toward a more socially just and ecologically sustainable economic system. But this transition is seldom discussed in public.

The Research Group “Money and Society” aims to change this and to link economic aspects with cultural ones. Just as the material form of money affects all sectors of society – from multinational corporations to pocket money, from art to the stock exchange – the understanding of digital money, too, is significant for all scientific disciplines, from physics and data science to philosophy and law, and political science and pedagogy. In the coming years, the Research Group plans to scientifically intensify this understanding and to engage in constructive dialogue with the public and with political institutions. Their goal is to develop a concept of a form of money suitable for organising a socially and ecologically just society.

Image shows on a solid pink background, at left, three stacked black booklets titled “SCHULDEN” in large white letters overlaid with scattered pink dots, with smaller white text “Workshops & Symposium” and dates “19.–20. Feb. 2025.” At right, an open booklet displays a cover page with a pink key illustration and German title “Perspektiven aus der Sozialen Arbeit und Schuldenberatung” by Kerstin Herzog, beside a two-column page of printed text.

2026

How does debt shape our daily lives? How is it managed at the institutional level – and what social inequalities does this create or exacerbate?

These questions were the focus of the interdisciplinary workshop “Debt – Daily Life, Institutions, Consequences,” held in February 2026 and organized in Hamburg by Sarah Klosterkamp organized together with Thorsten Merl in Hamburg. The starting point was the observation that debt is far more than just an economic factor: It shapes life trajectories and opportunities for action, influences relationships with institutions, and can reinforce existing social inequalities.

The workshop therefore deliberately brought together a wide range of perspectives for discussion. Researchers engaged in discussions with representatives from social work and debt counseling, district courts and bailiff services, as well as journalism. The contributions ranged from economic perspectives on debt to rent arrears, housing insecurity, and unequal opportunities for young adults, all the way to poverty among older women and the question of how precarious household situations are discussed in public discourse and journalism.

A recurring central question was what happens when debt moves from being an abstract sum of money to becoming a lived reality: how does it change housing, family life and decisions about the future? What scope do courts, bailiffs or advice centres have when dealing with people in debt? And how can individual experiences of debt be understood in relation to the political, legal and economic structures within which they arise?

The discussions and ideas from the workshop have resulted in a booklet that brings together key perspectives and insights and makes them accessible to a wider public.

The booklet (in German only) is available from Die Junge Akademie and can be ordered here: office@diejungeakademie.de

2025

A fourth meeting in the ‘Money and Society’ workshop took place on 21 and 22 July 2025. The focus was on the topics of money and language, money and the CO2 budget and money and debt.

2024

The third workshop on 23 June 2024 focused on money in the Islamic world and inequality. A fourth workshop and other activities were also planned.

2023

The second workshop of the Research Group took place on 17 November 2023. The participants brought together their different perspectives on money and society, with a particular focus on alternative credit systems and system's change.

2023

In their first workshop on April 27 the members of the Research Group brought together their different perspectives on money and society with a special focus on climate and art. It also provided input on the (Western) history or monetary thought via a talk by Stefan Eich (Georgetown University). The workshop concluded by charting a goal for the Research Group in terms of concrete outputs.

Pogramme
10.00 – 10.15 Welcome
10.15 – 11.15 Money within our planetary boundaries
11.15 – 11.30 Coffee break
11.30 – 12.30 Valuing nature
12.30 – 13.30 Lunch break
13.30 – 14.30 Art and Assetization
14.30 – 14.55h Coffee Break
15.00 – 16.30 History of Thought of Money and Politics
16.30 – 16.45 Short Break
16.45 – 17.45 The money constitution from an interdisciplinary perspective
17.45 – 18.15 Next steps and concluding remarks

Spokespersons

participating Members

participating Alumnae / Alumni

Activities

    • Schulden – Alltag, Institutionen, Folgen

      Topics:

      Charlotte Bartels, Sarah Klosterkamp

      2026

      Dark gray cover with white and pink graphic elements. Top left reads “Die Junge Akademie” beside a stylized four-part logo. Top right shows the “Goethe Universität Frankfurt am Main” name and seal. Center displays the word “SCHULDEN” in large white pixel-style letters, repeated in three rows and partly overlaid by scattered pink circles. Below this, in smaller white text, are the words “ALLTAG INSTITUTIONEN FOLGEN,” and at the bottom “Beiträge aus Forschung und Praxis.”

    • Workshop "Money and Society V"

      The fifth workshop in its series on ‘Money and Society’ is planned by the Research Group of the same name for 19 and 20 February 2026 in Hamburg.

      Topics:

      Starts on
      19.02.26
      Ends on
      20.02.26

      Event access: Internal

      Hamburg

    • Workshop "Money and Society IV"

      The fourth workshop in its series on ‘Money and Society’ is planned by the Research Group of the same name for 21 and 22 July in Hamburg.

      Topics:

      Starts on
      21.07.25
      Ends on
      22.07.25

      Event access: Internal

      Hamburg

    • Workshop "Money and Society III"

      The third workshop of the Research Group will take place on 23 June 2024 and will focus on money in the Islamic world and inequality.

      Topics:

      Starts on
      23.06.24

      Event access: Internal

      Berlin

    • Workshop "Money and Society II"

      The second workshop of the Research Group will focus on alternative credit systems and system change.

      Topics:

      Starts on
      17.11.23

      Event access: Internal

      Berlin

    • Workshop "Money and Society"

      In an internal workshop, members of the Research Group "Money and Society" discuss with external guests.

      Topics:

      Starts on
      27.04.23
      Ends on
      27.04.23

      Event access: Internal

      Potsdam