The Cluster of Excellence "Contestations of the liberal Script (SCRIPTS)" is taking stock after around four years of funding.  

From November 22-24, researchers from the Cluster discussed findings and insights with invited external commentators at the SCRIPTS Midterm Conference at the Grimm Center of Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin. The first day focused on temporal and geographical variations in the challenges faced by the liberal script. Particular emphasis was also put on insights from the Research Unit "Borders" regarding the liberal border script and its contestations.

On the second day, Research Unit “Orders” discussed contestations of the liberal (international) order, and possible causes, taking into account different regional perspectives. In addition, the Research Unit "Allocation" presented insights on the contentious issue of resource allocation in (Western) societies and put a particular focus on different methodological approaches. The discussion further centered on the framework conditions for contestations to the liberal script. 
A particular highlight of the second day was the Dahrendorf Panel "Europe in a Changing World" at the Social Science Research Center Berlin (WZB). The panel examined mutual perceptions and relations between the European Union, China, India, Russia, Turkey and the USA. 

The last day of the Midterm Conference began with a Research Unit "Temporality" and a presentation of their findings, which dealt with the question of temporality and the effects of different experiences and ideas of time within the liberal script. The concluding panels gave an outlook on the consequences of the contestations and the future of the liberal script, which will be at the center of the renewal application.