Beyond research
One general remark on how I assess my own career: In my view, what counts most are my books. The papers mostly extract some material from the books, for more convenient access. In this sense, I am a very old-fashioned scholar, a 19th century style 'system builder'. Further, I always try to work synthetically, aiming at a 'grand picture'. In doing this, I spend much time with reading what other researchers do, and rely on their work in creating my own integrative approach. Therefore, my working style can be best characterized as that of a 'philosopher'.
Another remark: It this worthy to mention that I have always been an academic entrepreneur. This is what does not really transpire in my academic cv. Over the years, I realized a couple large projects which did not have research at the centre, in the narrow sense. In the 1990s, together with the late Helmut Martin I launched a large academic network with young Chinese scholars investigating into China's modernization. In the mid 1990s, together with my friend Leonid Cedilin, I founded the Russian-German Quarterly in Economic policy POLITEKONOM (now defunct), which soon became a highly-regarded journal in Russia. In the early 2000s, together with the ifo Institute for Economic Research, we launched a program for business cycle analysis in China. All these projects were funded by Volkswagen Foundation. In the mid-2000s, with support by Dr. Werner Jackstädt Stiftung, I founded the Sino-German School of Governance at Witten Herdecke University, which later moved to Frankfurt and was re-designed as the East West Centre for Business Studies and Cultural Science (now defunct). In this context, I also have a decade long experience in designing and implementing advanced Master programs in International Business that highlight cross-disciplinary approaches and contextualize business in politics, society and culture.
Another remark: It this worthy to mention that I have always been an academic entrepreneur. This is what does not really transpire in my academic cv. Over the years, I realized a couple large projects which did not have research at the centre, in the narrow sense. In the 1990s, together with the late Helmut Martin I launched a large academic network with young Chinese scholars investigating into China's modernization. In the mid 1990s, together with my friend Leonid Cedilin, I founded the Russian-German Quarterly in Economic policy POLITEKONOM (now defunct), which soon became a highly-regarded journal in Russia. In the early 2000s, together with the ifo Institute for Economic Research, we launched a program for business cycle analysis in China. All these projects were funded by Volkswagen Foundation. In the mid-2000s, with support by Dr. Werner Jackstädt Stiftung, I founded the Sino-German School of Governance at Witten Herdecke University, which later moved to Frankfurt and was re-designed as the East West Centre for Business Studies and Cultural Science (now defunct). In this context, I also have a decade long experience in designing and implementing advanced Master programs in International Business that highlight cross-disciplinary approaches and contextualize business in politics, society and culture.
In 2014, I decided to relaunch my academic career on a track that emphasizes even more my interests in research and my engagement in cross-cultural exchange of ideas. My current academic positions are:
• Professor and Permanent Fellow, Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, Erfurt University
• Distinguished Visiting Professor of Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University, China
• Professor and Permanent Fellow, Max Weber Center for Advanced Cultural and Social Studies, Erfurt University
• Distinguished Visiting Professor of Schwarzman Scholars at Tsinghua University, China
You can imagine that my work does not leave much room for other activities. My life beyond research is all about my family, my wife and my five children, aged between 8 and 28 years. My wife has a full time job as a university administrator and is active in many civil society engagements, in particular Japanese Kendo, and local sports clubs in which our kids are engaged. So, we share responsibilities in managing our household. My task is the kitchen: I love cooking, and I take care of our own vegetable garden. Actually, I violate economic rationality in my everyday life: We rarely rely on services and the division of labour, I prepare and preserve food and vegetables, and I bake our bread and bun. I love doing this, but there is also a philosophical reason: I think that we human beings need to stay connected with nature, and we should always feel the experience that we are dependent on nature. If you battle against weeds in an organic vegetable garden, you certainly get that feeling (which can be rather stressful, with a tight daily schedule otherwise).
I am a bookish type and shun social networking events. Unfortunately, I could never realize again what I thought is a task of a human being when I was at high school: Develop yourself into a sort of Renaissance person, fully unfolding your human potential. At that time, I also did a lot of sports (track and field) and music (classical guitar, composing a lot of stuff by myself). What is left of this is just a love for music (with rare opportunities to enjoy), and the attempt at keeping my health vigorous by regular exercises and running, but mostly struggling in keeping my own commitments. Recently, after 35 years of rest, I started again playing the classical guitar, after my brother redicovered a tape with my own compsitions as a 17-year old. I felt immensely frustrated about what had been lost. Now I am back, with Villa-Lobos 'Preludes' my favourite pieces, and many others.
© Carsten Herrmann-Pillath, Max Weber Centre, Steinplatz 2, 99085 Erfurt, Germany