Center for Uncertainty Studies Blog

Christina Morina's analysis of ideas of democracy in East and West-Germany titled "Tausend Aufbrüche" (A Thousand New Beginnings) was awarded with the "Deutscher Sachbuch Preis 2024" on June 11th at the Elbphilharmonie in Hamburg. The prize, which carries an endowment of €25,000, was awarded for the fourth time and is considered the most prestigious non-fiction award in Germany.

The jury stated: "There is a broad consensus that democracies around the world are in crisis. Yet the question of what it actually means to _live_ democracy is often pushed into the background. Using sources that have received little attention to date, Christina Morina shows how a very different understanding of democracy developed in East and West Germany since the 1980s. Her methodically sophisticated and eye-opening contemporary historical analysis based on letters, petitions and leaflets gives a voice to citizens of East and West Germany. With this book, Morina offers surprising and necessary insights to spur current social debate. Her book risks a great deal, but without polarising – democracy is a process, not a condition." 

Christina Morina is Professor of General History with special emphasis on Contemporary History (Zeitgeschichte) at Bielefeld University and a member of the Center for Uncertainty Studies (CeUS). Her research on democracy, political culture in Germany and the history of the far right contributes to understanding uncertainty in an interdisciplinary way – an approach that is central to CeUS. We congratulate Christina Morina on this outstanding achievement and look forward to further exchanges of ideas and thoughts within the CeUS framework.