Global Perspectives and Interdisciplinary Dialogue: Young Scholars’ Workshop on Geoeconomics at the University of Erfurt

From 22–24 April 2026, the University of Erfurt hosted the international Young Scholars’ Workshop “State–Business Relations and Geoeconomics: Theories, Methods, and Comparative Perspectives.” Bringing together early-career researchers, the event provided a vibrant platform to discuss ongoing transformations in state–business relations in an era of geoeconomic change.

Across panels on industrial transformation, strategic state intervention, infrastructure, global production networks, and resource politics, participants engaged with a wide range of empirical cases and conceptual approaches. Contributions spanned nearly all world regions, highlighting how geoeconomic dynamics unfold in diverse political and economic contexts. 

A defining feature of the workshop was its exceptionally open and constructive discussion culture. Interdisciplinarity was not only present but actively practiced: political economy, sociology, geography, and technology-oriented perspectives were combined with diverse methodological approaches. This diversity underscored a key takeaway: understanding geoeconomics and shifting state–business relations require fundamentally global and interdisciplinary thinking.

The workshop also demonstrated the importance of early-career perspectives in advancing the field, fostering innovative ideas and sustainable academic exchange. We had the chance to include the workshop in the Kick off event of our doctoral program "De-Globalisation and Global Decoupling (DeGlobE). Together with the “Erfurt Research Center for Geoeconomics” (EFGeo), the workshop highlighted Erfurt’s growing role as a hub for cutting-edge research.

Back