Since 2010 the GRETI, a strategic partner of the UniGR-Center for Border Studies has brought together lecturer-researchers from three countries (Germany, France, Luxembourg) and a range of different scientific disciplines (geography, Romance linguistics/language teaching and learning, ethnolinguistics, management sciences, sociology). GRETI's primary objective is to examine the issue of borders from an integrated and holistic perspective.
The core group was originally formed when cross-border seminars were organised on "Managing knowledge in multilingual contexts". Sabine Ehrhart (ethnolinguistics) from the University of Luxembourg, Claudia Polzin-Haumann and Christina Reissner (Romance linguistics/language teaching and learning) from Saarland University and Jean-Yves Trépos (sociology) from the University of Lorraine formed a connection that quickly bore fruit. Subsequently, other researchers joined the group: Grégory Hamez (geography) from the University of Lorraine and Hélène Langinier (management sciences) from the management school at the University of Strasbourg.
Once established, GRETI decided to focus its first research project on the Smart car plant in Hambach (Moselle, France): "Frontières mouvantes dans une entreprise frontalière. Regards pluridisciplinaires / Zur Beschaffenheit von Grenzen in einem Unternehmen im Grenzraum: Ein interdisziplinärer Blick" [Shifting borders in a company on a border: A multidiscilinary view]. Other projects are ongoing.
GRETI has launched the concept of "border seminars" in conjunction with the UniGR to facilitate the setting up of joint projects involving researchers within the Greater Region. GRETI's experience of operating in the Greater Region has contributed to the development and creation of the UniGR-CBS.
More information: http://www.greti.org
