Who is permitted to do what, when and where? In the early modern period, police ordinances (Policeyordnungen) were designed to clarify these questions down to the smallest detail. Now, for the first time, comprehensive information on these early modern norms has been made accessible in a digital repertory – in Open Access and searchable format. This not only enables new historical insights but also facilitates comparative analyses of early modern normative worlds across space, time and forms of rule.

Grey files, cold rules? Think again. In the Systemfragen podcast from Deutschlandfunk, our director Marietta Auer reveals a surprising truth: bureaucracy is anything but emotionless. It shapes how we feel - sometimes soothing, often infuriating. From the quiet satisfaction of a smooth process to the rage of a confusing form, our emotional response says more about society than we think.

Earthquakes, floods, industrial accidents – environmental disasters are not just natural events. They can put pressure on political systems and reshape political agendas. But under what conditions do they trigger real political change? And why do some disasters lead to swift action, while others leave barely a trace?
Jan-Henrik Meyer explores these dynamics from a historical perspective in the Deutschlandfunk Nova podcast Eine Stunde History. His research shows that the political impact of environmental disasters depends largely on their societal and political context.